Running
by Moody-Muse
Summary: River/Riddick crossover. Reviews of honesty are more than welcome. I own nothing and profit the same. Look within to view the secrets. Rated M because it will turn.
1. Chapter 1

**The beginning is rough, bear with me please. I'm going a bit AU and changing a few things…**

**River went to the Academy at eleven, she was rescued at fifteen and Miranda happened when she was seventeen. It's been six years since then and as you can imagine they've survived and moved on as they could. **

**In the Riddick 'Verse I'm going to say he is twenty nine at the occurrence of Pitch Black. I promise he will stay animalistic and the epitome of a predator but you'll see something new with his introduction to River. **

**The other modifications will be found in the story and bear through River's intro. Though it appears like she is all sane now, the metaphorical River will appear. **

**Also, River is darker here. You'll see her thoughts-sane, clear and relatively bright and then you'll see her in action-dark, crazed almost, metaphorical. I'm toying with adding a speck of darkness to everyone.

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**River smiles slightly to Simon as he holds his Kaylee's sleeping form next to him on the couch. River looks to Mal and Zoe, sitting together and talking quietly, both share a broken heart. Neither know the friendship will change in due time. Jayne is sitting on a chair with a picture in his pocket of the woman who owns his heart and always has. He goes for trim and drinks enough to let his imagination change the trim into his Leah. River knows Jayne thinks his Leah dead but she doesn't tell him yet. He has to earn the knowledge and then pass the test to get Leah back. River sits on the rail of the balcony and watches over her family. Family, they all see each other as family. River has forced herself to see family as well, she'd rather name it a pack. River tilts her head to the side and her eyes glaze as she considers herself, beginning to end she knows it all now.

River hides. She has hid for years, transformed to be what was needed. She was born a girl with a beast inside, beast that could see the world for what it was. Girl hid in her innocence, but the beast knew the truths that the girl's innocence ran from. Beast allowed the girl to erect a cage and hide her away, but she refused to let the girl deny the sight. Girl grew up, she kept the beast away from others. Beast was something for her. Girl and beast would wait until dark, until alone, then the cage would open and girl would embrace beast. Two become one. Two by two not just for the hands of blue. The sight read the signs that marked the approach of bad. Dark, not the safe dark, the dark the girl and beast liked, but the dark that existed under bright lights and false smiles, the dark that hid.

Girl and beast started to transform from little cub and little girl into woman and predator beast. They began to change. The change was interrupted, change was blocked. Academy cradled the girl close and the beast snarled, they were separate as they tried to escape. Academy fed girl lies, didn't know about the beast. Academy fed girl pills and needles, making her stop from becoming woman but not touching the predator beast. Girl forgot everything, girl was locked into a cage as well and a body was left with a beast and a girl and broken pieces, alterations and gaping holes. Girl and beast conspired, girl broke out and sent signal to the only person in the 'Verse who'd protect her. Protector forgot all else and broke the body out, he expected the girl and only the girl. He made her sleep and took her onto what would become a new kind of cage for the body that held the girl and the beast and the modifications and broken pieces and gaping holes.

River tightens her grip on the bar of the balcony and blinks slowly. Serenity is her new home, where none had ever existed Serenity flew in. River is River. She knows that the innocent girl is gone, replaced by a strong knowing woman. She knows the beast is inside and that it sits at the feet of the girl, ready to jump. River knows that she has been changed. That she has modifications and broken parts and gaping holes. She likes it that way, even when her pack does not. She became River by removing the cages and placing each modification in its place, fixed her broken pieces and put them in place as well. She slides in a few other parts and proudly calls herself River. River knows that those she thinks of as a pack see her as a wild pet. River inhales sharply, pain wrenches her heart as she thinks of it. They think of her as an out of control dog, soothed with needles and pills. Different intentions than those of the Academy but same effect, yet the new River doesn't let it affect her. She ups the dosage and handles it alone, making her body immune to the touch. Simon doesn't know that she's been immune to most meds he could get his hands on for over three years, he attributes all her improvement to his hands, his meds. River fights not to hate him for considering her weak.

River leans her head between her knees and closes her eyes, still locked in her mind. Her pack points her and she fights. They cage her and she allows it, she loves them enough to hide from them. They have never seen the beast. They only see the worst in the modifications and broken pieces. They never see healed pieces or fitted modifications, fitted parts. They never see the grown woman, although the six years since Miranda have been kind and the expulsion of the blocking meds shoved into her system. They never see River, the new and together woman capable of so much. They only see a broken girl, mostly weapon who's more like an insane dog than a human, let alone a whole human. River snarls low to herself and sits up, eyes snapping open and glaring to the ceiling. No one sees the River. They see what they want and it angers River that they can be so blind, ignore so much, embrace fallacies and created mirages. With a release of her hands River slides from the bar and Simon stares.

"River!" he yells and jolts Kaylee awake.

River somersaults in the air and lands unmarred. She frowns to Simon and wonders why they never see.

Simon bolts to his feet and Kaylee stands as well, everyone is walking toward River with their hands raised. River blinks owlishly and watches them with resigned resentment.

"Mei mei, are you hurt? Come, let me get you more meds, must be stressed."

River shakes her head and it's a jerky motion, making everyone worry more.

"Stress makes you burn the meds faster sweetie, come and let us help."

Zoe smiles soothingly, in her mind she wants to make the girl sleep. She tries not to hate her for letting Wash die. She has let go of Wash, she doesn't resent the death anymore. But sometimes she can't help but resent the girl.

"Little 'Tross, don't do that." Mal drawls.

River glances down and realizes she's allowed their thoughts to distract her. She's drawing patterns on her wrist with a shiv she's taken to carrying. They weren't supposed to know about the shiv.

"The River is sorry she makes the masters fear. She would like to open their eyes. Closed, so closed off. River would like to dance for them soon, but she sees that they want to vault her away into darkness and keep their eyes closed."

River makes the shiv disappear as she distracts them with her words. She knows they don't understand her. They hear what she says and look no deeper. She knows how greatly her silent words and her loud words are different but it's a modification which she ordered herself.

"Mei mei, please, let me help you. We're right here, ready to hold you up. All of our eyes are open."

A flare of anger rises in River, her beast snarls and it leaks out and widens the eyes of her pack. River sighs and plays her part for them.

"The girl is sorry. Inconsequential colors are roaring in her, around her. All around her, they pull her and drown her. She misses the dark. Simon," she pauses, "the girl is unharmed."

River pulls the leash and reigns in the beast of herself as she hears the others doubt her. Their minds whisper, saying she is dangerous and never really okay, never unharmed because she's always wrong, always bad, always insane.

"Come little one." Zoe whispers, wrapping an arm around River.

Simon smiles falsely as he fills the needle and injects his mei mei. He watches her fight the pull of the drugs.

"Just let it take over little River, my mei mei."

River allows her role to end as she slows her breathing and closes her eyes. She hears them talk and her gut clenches. The beast is unhappy, pacing on its leash. She wants to show them. Whispers in her head tell her what it would take to subdue them. Tells what is would take to show them. What is would take to kill if needed. River listens to her whispers and whispers back.

_'We wait. Death is not an option. But we will show them. For now, we wait and play the role. Blood will come soon enough.'_


	2. Chapter 2

**Here is chapter two. I'm working on posting other stories up.**

**I know they're long...I'll try to shorten them but they keep coming in big bursts. **

**I own nothing...it's all Joss and Jim and Ken. I make no coin and my only profit is freeing some space in my brainpan.

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River seethes as she closes her eyes and stretches her mind out to take in her new surroundings. This is great, just what she needs. She hears the name of the hun dan who'd caught her. Johns, a blue eyed devil with secrets aplenty. She smiles to feel Kaylee to her immediate right and Zoe to her left.

"Shush now sweeties, sleep peacefully," she whispers.

She sends a wave of calm to them both and feels their dreams shift pleasantly. Neither woman is hurt. That is almost all River cares for. She considers the events of less than twenty hours ago.

* * *

The crew had all gone to pick up supplies together on Eros, a rim world close to the ghost lanes. River shook her head, her beast had know something would happen, she had been growling all night and day. River counted it as anger at her crew.

* * *

And now she is here.

"Cryo-sleep. Useless on an animal like I have in me, thanks sweetie."

River mentally soothes the beast in her, it takes the form of an Earth-that-was black panther, graceful as the night is long and just as deadly. River doesn't know why the eyes are always silver, mercurial and so entrapping. Her beast is great at getting answers. When River lets her loose the eyes begin to take over as well, they scared men far greater than Johns into pissing themselves as they passed out. River had to wonder where she'd gone wrong.

"Civilian transport. Forty…nine. Gorram ship holds fifty, this is going to be bad."

River can catch glimpses of what's to come and she knows exactly where to be when it does. She knows she has time and so lets her mind wander as she picks the locks to the chains surrounding her torso with the shiv she isn't supposed to have.

_'I heard an Arab voice, hoodoo holy man, New Mecca destination and…three apprentices to travel on his pilgrimage with him.'_ The beast is purring the words and River hears her voice like smooth satin pouring over her senses.

_'What route? Back roads for the others I heard.'_

_'They all smell so strongly.'_

River chuckles mentally, _'Sweat, boots, tool belt, leather. Woman and man, husband and wife, prospector type, free settlers.'_

The beast snarls now, _'Johns, blue-eyed devil son of a whore! Smells of morphine and fake bravado, dark in his mind and it hides behind synthetic light!'_

River smiles as the chains slither from her body.

"Going to take Zoe and Kaylee as **_his_**. Turn us in after a fashion of fun. But we're in a ghost lane, long time between stops. Not too long now and something is going to go terribly wrong."

River opens her chamber and steps out, her body purring in pleasure at the release. She walks in front of Kaylee's and Zoe's chambers and then turns away, going in front of Johns. She considers ghosting him, going shiv happy on him.

She turns away from the reason the beast has been growling and looks to the man who makes it purr.

* * *

They'd walked into an open air market and the beast had silenced, had perked up. River felt heat scorch her body two seconds before her eyes found the alley where Johns walked out of, the scent of another beast clinging to his body. Not too long after River found the exact location of the beast, knocked out from drugs and shocks and blows. She had walked to him without realizing it and as she stared up at the window Johns recognized her.

Kaylee and Zoe had come after her and Mal, Jayne and Simon were busy buying food and guns. Johns engaged and River fought until he grabbed Zoe. Kaylee was knocked out at his feet and Johns had pulled them into the alley, River following for curiosity. Johns made Zoe say the words and River had fallen asleep…for just enough time for Johns to wrap her up and trap them in cryo-chambers.

* * *

Now River is in front of the cryo-chamber where a man who has his own beast is staring at her through black goggles. He's sniffing and River's beast purrs for him. River places her hand to the glass window.

"The Riddick. Beast in you is born into your blood, your being. Furyan. We'll keep the secrets. Beast in you in the form of a hellhound, never had the pleasure of meeting one before."

River runs her fingers along the glass where his jaw is seen, he tilts his head into it as if he can feel it. The beast can. River's beast comes out, her voice turns from melodic to smooth satin raining over his beast's senses, her eyes start to change mercurial and River wonders if that's how all beasts see.

"You smell of adrenaline. The man is darkness, the kind that makes us…"

Riddick tilts his head as he takes in the woman talking to him, to his beast. She's pure animal, he sees her-every component that is her. He wants her name. He wants a lot more than just her name. He wants all of her, the hellhound beast in him wants her primal like. She pauses and he wants to know how his darkness makes her feel.

"…alive. Makes us feel so very good."

The hellhound snarls and purrs at her, wanting free from the cage. River leans up so her lips graze the glass, she doesn't know where it comes from, why she does it. She trusts her panther beast and allows it to control her.

"Call us River. We suggest the hellhound and man stay in the chamber, or follow us. Rough patch up ahead, tail swishes by and catches us in the side. Tail with barbs, holds to the HG and pulls it apart. Death will come, and no one will make bones about these deaths, these are all points unclaimed."

River turns from him and her panther beast whines and snarls to go back but the woman in River says protect her own first. Her pack needs her, she's come into a situation where she can step into alpha and not have to play at being pet.

Riddick watches her disappear, he watches everything she does. He can smell her, she's feral. She smells of sweet honey, gun powder and lead mixed in. The woman is the same as the beast, they're one. But the beast comes out less and so they are still separate enough to be two. Riddick likes the contradiction.

Her beast is all the smells of hot cinnamon and ash. She smells like a Heaven that Riddick never believed in, he wants to smell every inch of her and taste her, see if she tastes the same as she smells.

River opens Zoe's chamber first, she quiets her and retrieves Kaylee. Holding Kaylee up they walk away. River glances back at the Riddick and her eyes flash mercurial before the woman can stop the beast.


	3. Chapter 3

**Here we are...again. I'm getting the hang of this posting thing. Practically painless. **

**Again, I own nothing but the creative twists I deem worthy of being melded into a story. **

**I profit not a single coin and bow to the true owners of the materials used. Thanks!

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River ties Kaylee and Zoe down and into the nook she found in the ship. She looks around as she hears a whimper and sniffs the air discreetly.

Audrey…the name floats to River and she tilts her head. Jack…the name floats to the beast and River hisses to hear what all the girl went through. Only barely fifteen. River steps toward where the girl is hiding, River was rescued at fifteen, her body was. Real rescue came later.

Silently River vows to rescue Jack.

"Little one, the rain is natural. Come hither, hurry to work and become of stone. We shall protect our own. Our pack is incomplete, some are in the black searching. You shall join our pack. Stay close, the creatures of night will come when the lights fade and heat turns to screams."

Jack wipes at her eyes and looks up to see a woman looking at her over a bolted down crate. Jack stands slowly and Kaylee smiles to her, Zoe looking her over. River reaches out and Jack takes her hand, allowing herself to be pulled from over the crate.

"Ya mean ta say I can stay wit' ya?"

Jack cradles her arms over her stomach and River swallows anger.

"Affirmative."

Jack looks at the woman and her gut tells her she wants to be just like her. River stares into her eyes, she knows the girl was born normal. She knows she's had a beast put in her and that she will turn into a great predator one day.

"The cub shall stay close to her alpha. If the cub does not listen the alpha will discipline justly. Cub shall seek Kaylee more than Zoe or us."

Jack smiles to hear the woman say us.

"Us?"

River blinks and shrugs.

"River."

Jack smiles and steps tentatively toward River, River wraps an arm around her and ushers her toward the tied down Zoe and Kaylee.

"I'm Jack."

Kaylee smiles at the young boy and Zoe offers a grin. River helps tie Jack down into Kaylee's protective embrace.

"As alpha I know all my pack's secrets. You shall not be in fear. We shall keep the secrets that you deem knowable to yourself. We can't help but glimpse into the book and read a few lines here and there. Common ground is found in those lines. Trust us, little cub."

Jack's face falls and her mind races, does this woman know she's not a boy as she claims? What else does she know?

River smirks, she rests her hand to Jack's cheek.

"We know everything. We shall commune later, now the chickens must go home to roost. Tests, so many tests to be passed as of…now."

Alarms sound and River secures her pack down, she slides in front of them and stretches her mind out, she feels the Riddick staying put. She feels his beast recognize her beast in his mind and hears distantly,_ 'This is all kinds of interesting.'_

River feels a decision made, drop the load. It doesn't matter to Carolyn Fry that the load is people. River focuses and feel a man named Owens changing her mind, he stops her. Carolyn Fry reaches again for the lever and River whispers in her head.

_'Drop the load and you die as well. No people, no distractions. No help. Drop the load and the ship tears apart. What if the load's piece is holding this ship together? Could get bad landing a so small of a piece, land the whole and bounce on the load.'_

River retracts her mind from Carolyn Fry's and blocks out everyone but her pack. She doesn't want to feel the deaths.


	4. Chapter 4

**Here we are.**

**Thanks to Solaira for reviewing. And as a hint, I've always agreed with the Johns thing. Thanks again and I hope you like. **

**Without further ado...

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Johns jumps up from his position sprawled on the metal grating. The ship is torn to pieces and his eyes fly to the cryo-chambers that holds his prizes.

"Ta ma de!"

He slaps his hand to the wall to see River Tam's chamber empty. Her friend's chambers are empty as well and Riddick's chamber is swinging wide open.

"Here ol' Big Bad. Where'd ya get off to boy?"

Johns reaches for his gun and comes up with an empty holster. With a muttered curse he looks around carefully.

Riddick lowers his legs from the beam. He wraps them around Johns neck, using the chains still on his ankles and legs. His hands are still bound and then bit is bitter in his mouth.

Johns beats at Riddick with a baton and across the ship River holds her pack back, waiting the show to stop.

Johns leans forward and pulls Riddick from the rafter. Riddick falls and his head hits the grate with a crack that sends him into darkness. River snarls as her beast pulls at the leash.

Johns hauls Riddick to a pole and secures him to it, he takes the goggles and replaces them with a blindfold.

* * *

River steps from the nook and unties her pack from their secured locations. Jack holds to Kaylee and Zoe fingers her empty holster.

River raises her hands.

"The pack shall stay put. Walk to that crate and resign yourselves to staying. We shall be back in time."

They follow the order and sit on the nearest crate as River walks to find a smug Johns, fresh off a hit of morphine.

Johns rounds on her and lifts his gun, the hit makes him feel good and he smirks as his gun is aimed two inches off.

"Wait. William Johns, give us a moment to commune over the possibility of an alliance of the temporary nature."

Johns frowned and lowered his weapon, the Tam woman steps closer to him and he sags against the wall. Riddick wakes with a low growl and John chuckles at him.

"I'm glad you're comin' ta my way of thinking. I wouldn't want ta tie ya down like Big Bad here. What ya got in that pretty little head o' yours?"

River smiles all sweetness and lets the woman work as the beast checks on the Riddick.

"The pack goes free. You were never going to keep them anyway. We all go free to help the survivors, all dozen of them."

River worked to keep the riddles to a low and he smiles to her.

"Why should I cut you loose? What are you wanted for anyway? Warrants don't say pi hua about what you done. Just a description and friends."

River shrugs and looks to her pack, her mind sees them listening. Good girls.

"We pissed off the Alliance. You cut us loose for the joy of getting a chance to hunt us some other day. You'll need us when you see what this planet has to offer. We can help get you out of here alive. But not in chains. Not without weapons. You keep the big gauge and give our pack their tools. We help save your jian tun."

Johns levels the woman with a glare and hisses low. Riddick stares at her, his eyes covered his beast knows exactly where she is. He knows she's in his head making sure he's fine. His beast purrs at that and the man in him tells the beast to remain focused.

"Fine. But your pack don't include Big Bad. He stays where he is. Know what he's done? You get your weapons and, hell, I'll throw in some of Big Bad's."

River nods, bowing her head in respect and her beast snarls to dust Johns.

"We know he's not in our pack. He's the worst predator out there."

_'Besides us,'_ purrs the beast.

"We thank you for agreeing to the terms. Also, if you touch what is ours you shall find pain. Don't even think on our girls."

Johns bows mockingly.

"I'll be a complete gentleman. Here,"

He hands River the weapons and she deftly checks each one over.

"Also, while Big Bad Riddick is not in our pack he is someone we will protect. Take the bit out and don't you dare use the light on him."

River snatches the goggles from Johns' belt and he growls.

"Gorramit woman! You ain't tellin' me how ta handle the beast!"

River's eyes flash and he steps away, watching her step over to Riddick.

"We aren't telling. We're demanding. And it is no threat when we say pain is delivered when what we see or hear of is deemed unacceptable. And no," River smirks as he finally catches up with her use of plural possessive, "We aren't possessed or insane. We are a woman, weapon and beast. Thank your Alliance that we are here. Thank them for the fact that while on this planet there are horrible things in the dark that we are worse than even them."

River smiles to Johns as she turns and removes the bit from Riddick's mouth. She rests her hands on the edges of the blindfold, "Close your eyes, we don't know what amount hurts."

Riddick complies, his beast purring in ecstasy as her cool hand slide along his skin. River quickly changes the blindfold for his goggles and he opens his eyes, leaning forward to sniff her.

River's beast purrs but the woman fights for control.

Johns eyes the back of the woman who has to be feng le and he steps forward to pull her back.

"Touching is something we do not like. Pet the pretty body and the River shall break the fingers. Reach for pretty things, mind doesn't know it all. See the outside and think you know but you don't know anything of the inside of the pretty. Painting starts as a single stroke and layers on to be made attractive. Touch the painting and it smudges, marks you. Touch the pretty and it marks you."

Johns freezes and River turns, glancing at him, Riddick understands her and decides her wants to touch her and be marked. River glances over her shoulder, "Not all marks are bad."

The beast purrs the words in the voice of satin and River-beast and woman-agree now is the time to go to her pack.


	5. Chapter 5

**Here we are again.**

**Thanks so much to Solaira and SusanMarieS and Chibiboku.**

**Solaira-Thanks! I do my best to update whenever I can. Johns...he'll learn just who he's toying with soon. And yes, he'll regret it. **

**SusanMarieS-Thanks for reviewing. Jayne...I could see a crossover with him stuck on the HG as well...huh...  
I assure you he is not gone from this story. Leah? She'll come in as well. I can already see some follow up stories exploring Jayne and Leah. Just so you know,  
he'll be here. So will the others, but this story is going to focus on River, Riddick and PB motivated scenes. **

**Chibiboku-Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed!  
**

**I hope everyone enjoys. **

**Without further ado...

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River stands with Jack and Kaylee sitting between her and Zoe on a tossed crate. The survivors convene to meet at the back of the wreckage and River levels Carolyn Fry a glare.

Not for the Fry woman having tried to kill them all. No, because she was questioning River silently. She was wondering why everyone follows her orders and looks to her with fear. River decides to let the pilot play at captain and resolves just to order and look to her pack.

Johns watches River with curiosity and she sighs, leveling him a glare as he stands next to Fry. Fry frowns.

"If you two want to play goo-goo eyes do it another time. We have to focus on what to do."

River glances dismissingly at Fry and looks over the survivors.

The wife and husband, Zeke and Shazza. Imam, holy man and his three apprentices. Ali, Suleiman, and Hasan. There is of course Johns and Fry, then Paris, a runt of a man and despite the fact River was raised partly in a core world his core bred regality and pansy ass nature rubs her the wrong way.

There was another, a man whose name eludes River due to the fact all that is on his mind is the fact he hurts so bad from the burns and wants to find any other person to help him.

River glances toward the ship, Riddick is alive and well. Her pack, Jack, Kaylee, Zoe and herself, are there. They are a number of fifteen and River knows only of three, not counting herself, who she is looking to. Four if she is feeling generous enough to let the beast in her claim Riddick. He isn't in her pack, no, he is just someone she is going to look after.

"We need to find water." Imam's voice speaks up.

Fry levels him with a look and glances to Paris, "He has booze."

River rolls her eyes and smiles slightly to Imam, "Against the Crislam religion to partake in the absorption of booze. Water shall be recovered in due time holy man."

River only speaks to him because he reminds her, Zoe and Kaylee of Book. They will do their best to wrap a wing of protection around him and his too.

Fry glares at River in contempt, "I'm leader here little girl! You wanna split up and go for water go your self! We'll be here talkin' on how to get the most weapons and supplies."

River turns her gaze upon Fry slowly, she stands and takes one graceful step after another toward Fry, the woman smirking at her all the while.

"Water is a supply when you have bodies unable to partake the booze. You will do well to ignore the whispers and listen to us. And stop doubting us, if we were to prove our self to you we'd be short one resource. Unlike you, we're here because we don't hesitate. When we go, we go. Hesitation is not a line for those with a will to survive."

Fry blinks and sneers at the River, "I could handle ya. Ninety pound girl don't do much but run her mouth. Get back in line and fall in rank. You belong in bottom, kinda wish you'd fallen in the dirt."

River moves so quickly that Johns misses it with a blink. Zoe and Kaylee and even Jack watch with resigned knowing as River holds a shiv to Fry's throat and has her bent so her knees are sharp right angles.

River whispers in Fry's ear, "Where we belong is not your concern captain," River sneers the word, "You see to yourself and yours. These survivors look to you, and yet you'd have dropped them for a chance of a few seconds more of life. Ignore the whispers and pick up the mask. Wear it as penance and remember this moment." River flicks the shiv across her neck and slices a thin cut. Stepping away she drops Fry into the sand.

River strides over and stands by her pack, they look up at her and she reads the approval in their eyes. River levels her gaze at each survivor, a clear look of, _'Don't fuck with me and mine.'_ in her eyes.

Johns stares at his new temporary partner. He closes his mouth and his mental voice whispers, "Tam's dangerous! Sha zi! Should have locked her with Big Bad! Sch!"

River smirks slightly hearing Johns' panic. She looks at him and hears his heart pounding. She laughs quietly.

Closing her eyes and ignoring all the others but her pack who she keeps a constant eye on, she focuses on releasing her beast to talk to Riddick's hellhound beast.

The panther finds the hellhound and whispers, _'Stupid place to secure someone. Makeshift prison. Not complete. Metal runs and secures on one end but drops away from tight on the other. Raise the arms with a rush of pain, is freedom worth it? Don't go far.'_ The hellhound nuzzles the panther and the woman in River quickly pulls the panther beast back, leashing her and listening to her rumble low a purr of pleasure divine.

River opens her eyes and the beast shines through a bit more than normal.

* * *

Riddick smirks as the hellhound beast in him whispers how to free himself. He dislocates his shoulders with a pop and slides the cuffs over the end of the bar. River's scent teases him and he wants to go and take her.

The beast batters its cage and growls to be allowed to go to River and her beast. Beast in Riddick wants to make her come with them, make her theirs. Riddick fights the beast, _'I'm in control!'_ his mental self snarls to the beast and he watches it settle with quieter growls.

Riddick slips away into the suns and sighs, three suns. How much worse could it be? To have eyes for the dark and to be trapped in triple light seems as if God is touching him with His sick humor once again.

"I hate the fucker!" he growls and snatches a torch to cut his cuffs off.


	6. Chapter 6

**Here we are once again.**

**Thanks to Solaira, Elizabeth Cords, SusanMarieS and Ratchet for reviewing. **

**Solaira-Thanks! Hehe, yeah, I never accredited Johns with an overabundance of smarts. He's slow on the uptake but he's also cocky and thus thinks he can handle or get the upper hand in anything. I'm glad you're enjoying this.  
**

**Elizabeth Cords- I hope I explained my way of thinking well enough in my reply, thanks for reviewing!  
**

**SusanMarieS- Thanks again!  
**

**Ratchet- Thanks so much for reviewing. I believe I sent you a review reply but thanks again.**

**I hope all of you enjoy this chapter and I'm hurrying to get the next up and posted. I really thought I'd be the the action by now but it's coming next chapter I hope!**

**Without further ado....  
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Johns curses low and looks all around, scouting for Big Bad. "Everyone keep an eye out. You so much as hear him don't hesitate to shoot because he will not hesitate to kill you. No hand to hand, he gets close enough for you to engage you're good as dead."

River ghosts a glance over Johns and Fry shifts closer to the cop, she smiles slightly to herself at having him on her side. Jack tilts her head and scoffs, "He's too good. No one will see him until he's up close ghosting you. Ain't a way around bein' kilt iffin he wants ta do it."

Johns glares, "Shut your mouth boy!" Jack riles, anger flaring as her head swims, "Go to hell you gorram scum sucking hun dan!" River glances back from her position standing in front of her pack, she meets Kaylee's eyes and Kaylee hushes Jack.

Johns steps over toward Jack and River glides a step over in his path. Meeting his gaze she flicks her wrist and a shiv flips out and into the air. It lands in the sand as a line to be crossed and another two shivs appear in her hands.

Johns feel cold fear creep upon him, despite his hold on the big gauge he knows she can dust him. He smiles wobbly, "Hey, I'm back. Remember, partners have each others backs. I just don't have a temper for smart mouthed kids." River steps forward and claims her shiv as Fry seethes at his use of the term partners in regards to the insane killer girl.

River glances back at Jack and winks, "We will see to our own. Jack is ours and that includes the mouth. You will be wise to leave us be and if problems arise with out pack then you come to us. Anything else will end in blood. Raining down blood and it'll be al yours. Dong ma?" Johns smiles as the voice in his head screams in fear. He nods and turns away, a friendly tilt of his head to River's pack and he tries to rush the others so as to escape his partner.

River watches with disinterest as the group of survivors splits up. She eyes Imam the holy man and leans over to Kaylee, "Imam and his pack are going to go on a quest for libation."

Kaylee blinks up at her and looks around, "Want me to go wit' 'im?" she asks finally.

River smirks and shakes her head, "Pack stays together. Johns and Fry go with him. Fun will start here first."

Kaylee nods and eyes Imam, "Want me to tell 'im somthin?"

River nods, "Go tell him to bypass trees. Trees mean water when in a world of light, not dark. His quest shall be halted in the town. Find the rabbit's hole and dig the rabbit from the avalanche. Five feet and three inches down."

Kaylee stands and kisses River's cheek, "I love my witch. Lookin' out fer us all."

River pecks her cheek back and leaves her to the task as Zoe and Jack talk in hushed tones.

Zoe watches River as she speaks with Jack. This River was different. Way different. What happened to the girl who not two days ago had been going insane and needing drugged? Where did the woman come from? The plural? The leaders?

River hears Zoe's thoughts. She glances at Zoe and Jack stops midsentence to allow her to speak.

"We hid. We have been here as the River for a little over three years. As a whole. As separates we have existed in the shadows for the whole life of the body."

"Then why'd you flip earlier and need drugs?"

River laughs darkly, "We played the role dealt to us. Expectations of the house shall be kept and met by the actor. The needles and pills have not worked on us since the day we fixed ourselves to be immune." With smug satisfaction River watches her words settle in Zoe's brainpan.

Zoe blinks and tilts her head, "River…"

River smirks darkly and whispers, "It can wait. Time is a variable. Independent, always passing. Yet dependent on the location…Universal time to ease troubles but it still differs. Time is flying and it will stir the events. Codependent variables, they fall into place and fit the mold. This mold will fill with blood and we shall protect our own. None of ours will fill the mold, we make our own."

Zoe tries not to ponder the words and focuses on falling into place in the ranks. A wry smile plays at her lips for River pulling rank on her.

"We could pull rank on Mal any day. We chose to keep our role and protect our pack." she whispers in answer to Zoe's silent question.

Kaylee walks over with a little bounce in her step and smiles as she sits next to Jack, "Imam thanks you. Johns told me ta tell ya yer in charge with Zeke and Shazza."

River nods and stands, crouching in front of Jack and looking into her eyes as the girl pretending to be a boy looks back.

"We don't say the secrets. But we say you're safe. Listen closely, the whisper in your head. Not the whisper of death, Grim is there, cub is there. Whisper of power, listen to it. Not dirty, not stained. Not broken. Last straw was broken when the crimson river flowed and took a flutter with it. We shall see to you, you shall never be Audrey again. Jack is reborn, morphs into woman Jack who can stand for herself. Stand and make her pack, her alpha, proud."

Jack blinks hard, she hates crying. She doesn't want her new pack to see her as weak. She doesn't question River knowing her secrets as if she'd lived life beside her the whole time. She merely nods and leans on Kaylee as River stands and lays a hand to her head.

"And you will refrain from such a dirty mouth toward our pack. Order of power ranks you lowest little pup. One word out of bounds shall see a swift penalty to your pride." Jack nods and Kaylee and Zoe talk with the girl, trying to keep up and figure out Jack's life.

River looks away from her pack and to the land of the dead, bones lying in piles. No blood, no time for blood when the hunger comes. Not allowed to waste one delicious drop. River knows the Riddick is in the bones. She wants to focus on her pack but finds her beast unfocused.

'We take care of our own. He is not ours to look after. And we shall never be his.'

The woman whispers the words into the beast's ear and in return it growls and answers, 'Then make him ours!'

River's eyes glaze over as her beast and woman argue within her and Jack raises her head and glares at Paris as she notices him staring at River.

Paris shakes slightly in fear. He wants to believe it's the heat but knows it's the woman. He gulps and looks to Zeke, "You were to bury our captain's crewies?"

Zeke nods and frowns, "Gonna lend me a hand?" Paris smirks, "No. But I will take the first watch for our resident escaped con." Zeke scoffs as Paris scrambles up to sit in a deck chair on the wreckage. Zeke grabs a body and hauls it up over his shoulders, standing the blood and sun warmed lifeless flesh to honor the dead.

River blinks, the woman won the argument and the beast was reprimanded, reminded of her leash. Glancing at Zeke hauling bodies River feels a sadness knowing he must die. The beast whispers again, 'Save him in trade for another. Or simply save the number.'

River rolls her eyes and glides over to sit behind Jack, Kaylee and Zoe is sitting in front of Jack on their knees, oblivious to watching around themselves. River marvels at how a soldier can drop guard so easy. Jack leans back into River and instinctively River wraps her arms around the girl posing as a boy. The woman in her wonders if this is a natural comfort. The beast says this is how to treat a cub. River lets her instincts take over, knowing they'll keep her alive. Her will to survive and keep her crew alive are stronger than even her knowledge.

Jack lays her head to River's chest and looks over to the trees in the distance, still for the lack of breeze. Heat eats at Jack but she wants her alpha's comfort. The woman in River whispers, 'Zeke must die. We look to our own and don't interfere just because we hear the grim whispering at the smell of blood. We won't hear them all.' The beast bows down and settles to lay, instincts active as woman and beast close their eyes and allow the whole, River, to channel them both and be one.

Kaylee and Zoe watch the shift in River and they stare as she blinks slowly and her eyes change from chocolate brown, taking on a silver edge as they turn mostly mercurial.

Jack glances up at River, "Riv, um, I want them to know my story. But I want it not to be rushed."

River nods and glances to Zeke's disappearing back, bodies all piled up and only a shovel in his hands. "Wait until we leave this planet. The stars shall make it back to the black. Our pack will all survive, we will make certain. Do not fear that you shall not be understood. Rest and close your eyes, fun starts soon."

Jack starts to protest but her eyes meet River's and she stares hypnotized. Her will to resist fails and she sighs and nods, closing her tired eyes and reaching a hand out to Kaylee and Zoe.

In the slight distance Riddick watches River and her pack become one unit, all connected and feeding from River's strength. He walks toward where Zeke is, knowing the man had a bottle of booze with him and only wanting to snag it. His mouth is dry, the one gulp left in the bottle left by Johns after Fry's confession leaving him thirsty for more.


	7. Chapter 7

**Here we are again. **

**Thanks to NightStar28, Ratchet, serenitie1, and SusanMarieS for reviewing!**

**NightStar28-Whoa, thanks so very much! I can honestly say I think that's the most flattering thing I've ever heard! I hope you enjoy this chapter! I have to agree with the couple comment and I loved the knifes drawn! :)  
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**Ratchet-Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy!  
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**serenitie1-Hahaha, yes, I plan on working with Zoe and Kaylee coming to terms with the new River a little later and more and more. Imagine how the Serenity men will be...  
**

**SusanMarieS-Thanks so much! I hope I continue to interweave the stories well. Enjoy!**

**All of you are super awesome, hope everyone enjoys!**

**Without further ado....  
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River hears Riddick's beast as he comes nearer. She opens her eyes to see Paris drinking and scoffs at his protection. Standing slowly River feels the burnt man stumbling to Shazza. Zeke is watching over the group and River feels his hand touch the cool metal of his gun as he sees a man walk toward his wife.

River watches the man, he stares at a shocked Shazza, "Oh God, I thought I was the only one!" Shazza looks over his seared flesh and stands stone still as he moves to hug her.

Zeke halts running and levels his gun as a man lunges for his wife. "No!" a voice screams as he fires. Shazza feels a hand push her out of the line of spatter. The bullet goes straight through the skull and Shazza feels the graze on her own cheek. River looks at Zeke as he stares, horror clawing his gut at having nearly killed his wife as he tried to save her

"He was a survivor!" Paris hollers and scrambles down to stand next to Shazza. Zeke jogs to her and stares at the man, "Gorramit! I thought he was that beast lunging for ya! Shazza, are ya okay baobei?"

River, Paris, Jack, Zoe, Kaylee, Shazza and Zeke surround the body and they stare at Shazza, cheek dripping blood.

"Don't you go yellin' at 'im ya fancy hun dan! He's protectin' 'er! You'da done yer job this coulda been prevented! All comfy up their in yer gorram chair wit' yer booze!" Jack seethes at Paris and he sniffs delicately, brushing the death off swiftly, "Amazing how one could be so well of with the simple leisurely things." Paris climbs back up and plops back in his seat.

River lays a hand to Shazza's tense shoulders and nods her toward the shade of the ship. "Kaylee shall patch you up and fix the wounded doll. Shock is to be prevented." Kaylee nods and she and Zoe escort Shazza away to the shade.

Zeke looks wounded and Shazza turns, "I'm fine. Just get 'im buried. It's alright me Zeke. I love ya." Zeke smiles and River knows they need the moment, "I love ya." He bends and hauls the body up and River strides next to him with Jack beside her. "We shall accompany you." She murmurs and Zeke nods.

Riddick looks to the hole in the dirt, bodies all gone. He swallows a powerful gulp of aged sherry and walks to crouch in the shadow, hidden on a ledge in the fissure.

River smiles to Jack, "Stay close little cub." Jack nods and River wonders whether it is wise to bring the bleeding girl. She knows blood is their turn on and so stops with Jack at the edge of the dim light. She purrs so low only Riddick's beast hears as she feels him near. River breaks the union and caustically reprimands the panther beast, 'Pay attention! He is not ours! We agreed we would never be another's! We're our own, no one will own us! Power is given with ownership! We remain free!'

The beast murmurs, 'Make him ours. I shall stay loyal to you, I am yours. River must be resummoned. We will be needed.' The woman pets the beast and they settle back into one.

Riddick looks over River, he sees her slight changes and he knows she's allowing her beast and human parts to come together. He looks away as a whisper tells him to stay alert.

Zeke grumbles angrily and stares at the empty ground in shock, "Left 'em right 'ere. I'ma thinkin' I gone crazy!" he looks at River in bewilderment and steps to the hole to look down curiously. He grabs a light from his pocket and shines it into the hole as he hears a scuffle.

Jack stares and steps forward but River grabs her and pushes her back. Zeke screams as River grits her teeth at the connection to him. She tries to close the connection but feels him being chewed and clawed apart. With a hiss River leaps forward with a shiv in hand. She pulls at Zeke's legs, knowing the creatures in the hole will make him a buffet and take his life painfully. Pain making it slower to him.

Mercy allows River to slide the shiv and sever his spinal cord, numbing him so he feels nothing as he dies.

Fighting to reclaim her hand from the hold of a creature River slides into the hole and with a growl unsheathes another shiv and slices a claw off. Jumping back she glances to see Riddick standing beside her.

Stepping to Jack who collapsed in the light River tries to lift her. She curses low as Shazza, Kaylee, Zoe and Paris run into the hole. Shazza takes in the sight and throws a shiv to hit Riddick, it goes off target and Riddick glances at it. Shazza tackles him and he defends himself without hurting her.

Riddick curses as he tries just to get free. River stands and Kaylee grabs Jack. The two move away from the scuffle, relatively useless in the fight.

Johns and the searchers run to the screams and Johns grabs his gun and jumps in to help Shazza as she screams, "What 'ave ya done wit' me Zeke ya ruttin' murderer!" River feels Shazza's pain and quickly closes herself off from those not hers.

Yelling River moves closer, "Stop! Stop! Riddick was not the murderer!" Shazza stops as tears pour down her cheeks and Zoe grabs her wrist, pulling her away. Johns knocks Riddick to stumble and takes the opportunity to snag his goggles.

Riddick roars in agony as his eyes are bared naked to the three suns. Imam stands in front of his three apprentices and Paris is behind the boys. Fry stares at Johns and moves to help subdue Riddick. Kaylee and Jack stand next to Zoe as she holds an angrily sobbing Shazza. River growls as she watches Johns continue to assault Riddick.

Riddick take the hits as he covers his eyes. Seeing him at his mercy John smiles savagely. He grins to Fry as she moves beside him.

River moves deftly and flops down, catching Johns foot and twisting to land him on top of Fry. With a quick yank River rolls Riddick back toward her pack and she jumps to her feet.

"What in the sphincter of hell are you doing? He killed Zeke!" Johns roars and Fry seethes as she stands.

Jack shakes as she tries to help Riddick up. He lolls around, the pain near making him pass out.

"You were not here. We were, Zeke was pulled into the hole by creatures!" River hisses.

Fry scoffs, "Apparently you're his little whore 'cause a how yer defendin' 'im." Johns felt the cool ice of River's glare despite the three suns.

Kaylee, Zoe and Jack support Riddick as the blinding suns pain him into unconscious oblivion.


	8. Chapter 8

**Here we are.**

**I'm so sorry it took so long!**

**Thanks to Solaira, SusanMarieS and Chibiboku for reviewing!**

**Solaira: Thanks so much I'm glad you like! I'm keeping River wanting to save the people but being unable to. It's going to play in for her darker character as more angsty and showing how she can be. Also, I don't want it to be that River sees Riddick and they immediately hook up. No. The two are going to be battling it up over hooking up and fighting and who gets to do what and when. Just because I see them in this one as being in a fight for dominance because Riddick always wants it and River has had it in secret this whole time. I'm not sure who wants it more-River: panther and woman or Riddick: man and hellhound. It'll be a real brawl. Smartass Jack is going to get in there sometime.  
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**SusanMarieS: I have to mention his eyes over and over and over! I can only imagine how painful it would be to have such sun sensitivity and three effing suns! Hope you like.  
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**Chibiboku: Here's the next chapter! I'm doing a package upload so I hope you like the next chapters!**

**Also, I realized that River and Fry can't be fighting this whole time. So....yeah. Emotional manipulation is how I saw it.I hope it's good!**

**Without further ado...

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River thumps her shiv against the palm of her hand as she glares at Fry. Behind her Jack whispers, "Riv, he's out. We gotta go. Drop the bitch an' come on."

Johns smiles to placate the situation, "Maybe we're in the wrong on this one. Shazza, you decide what goes on."

Shazza looks up at Johns as almost all eyes rest on her. River is glaring at Fry and her pack is staring at her. Fry is keeping her gaze carefully away from River.

"Let 'em get 'im ta the wreckage. I'll get me answers from 'em then. River saved me life, I think if'n she had wanted ta let us all die by his hands er just die then she'd a left me ta the bullet."

River shifts her feet and slides her shivs away. Johns glances at her and she finally looks away from Fry, "We take him back to the wreckage. Restrain-no bit and all. Just restrained. No one goes near him without us near. No one strays from the group-everyone stay near the wreckage."

Johns nods and glances at Imam, he waves his hand and Imam hustles his three charges and Paris toward the wreckage. Johns takes a step further between Fry and River but River holds up her hands and levels him a look.

"Take him back. Johns, go retrain him-Zoe, watch Johns retrain him. We don't doubt you but you hate him, we told you about touching."

Johns clenches his jaw but nods, then glances to Fry, "I think it'd be best if ya both came along."

River smirks, "We'll be along to tend wounds. Kaylee start cleaning him up. Make sure it's as dark as possible. We and Fry have to have a talk." Fry glares at River and crosses her arms.

Johns shakes his head and steps closer to River. Zoe, Kaylee, and Jack start walking with Riddick supported between them. Shazza stands back staring at the hole and River steps closer to her.

"Johns, trust us. If we kill her she is a wasted resource. An ant may well destroy a dam. We won't risk the ant destroying us," the beast and woman silently scoff at the possibility, "Shazza will keep us in line. Trust us."

Johns nods and his mind screams at him to walk away now but he steps closer to River. River silently laughs that he can't ever listen to the screams. The screams that would do him good.

"I trust you. You can trust me. Two way lane bao bei. I'm not the beast here."

River looks into his eyes and answers him in the same soft tone he had used on her, "The beast is not screams. No, the beast is whispers and silence. Silence so loud it drives you. Whispers so loud they define you. The beast is never screams."

She leans in a little closer, letting him see the depths in her eyes, smell her scent as her voice washes over his senses, "Everyone listens and pays heed to screams. We choose to hear the whispers, the silence."

Johns smirks at her and turns, walking to catch up with River's pack as they haul Riddick.

River turns her gaze to Shazza and lays her hand to the woman's shoulder, "Come, we shall discover the truth soon. Do not sink into the dark, stay in the light. Only way to survive." Shazza nods and walks to the top of the hill, close enough to stop a fight if needed.

Fry glares at River as she stands in front of her. "We don't like each other. So let's woman up and move on. We have to work together to figure out what's going on and how to get everyone off this rock."

Fry's jaw drops at River seriously extending peace. River's beast breaks away from the woman to scoff at the fake olive branch and quickly falls back into place.

"Fine. I'm sorry I was so…it's just…the whole thing…" Fry struggles as her anger and bitterness deflate to leave her empty.

River reaches up and lays her hand to Fry's cheek, "You have been through much. So have we, all of us need to band together to survive. Won't lie and say we look out for everyone with no bias-we look to our pack the most. The rest all look to you as leader. Keep the mask on until we're gone from here. Then let it fall, let yourself fall and reassemble."

Fry fights tears and nods, stepping over to Shazza she smiles, "Let's go get your answers."


	9. Chapter 9

**Here we are again.**

**Without further ado...

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River watches Johns finish restraining passed out Riddick in heavy chains. She waits until Johns steps back and deftly closes the windows in the small room.

She turns in to the door-the only source of light-and smiles to her pack and Shazza and Fry.

"Shazza, come back after Zoe checks you over. Johns, Fry, let Kaylee see to you. Jack go with Imam, help them with water. No one alone. We will be here, quick patch job on Big Bad and then answers. Dong la ma?"

Nods set an unsteady tempo and Johns steps away from Riddick, passing River. "Careful. He wakes up ya leave. Alone-he may try somethin' and I can only hope the chains are tight enough. Don't want him hurtin' ya."

River marvels at Johns still underestimating her. She wonders if it's the drugs making him such a slow learner.

Fry smiles to River tentatively, "She can handle herself. Just, don't start questioning without us." River nods and everyone slowly leaves.

Zoe waits as Johns passes, having caught River's pointed look. "Talk with Shazza. A bond will be there for her when she learns of the shared hole."

Zoe's mind drifts to Wash and she nods, "I will. River…I wanted to," River steps to the door, "Wait until we're on our way to the black. All talking can wait until then."

Zoe turns away and River closes off the dim light until it's dark enough for her to barely see.

River reaches the restrained Riddick and feels his wounds. He'll have bruises aplenty and cuts that need tended. His side was marred by gashes sustained from sharp kicks. River lifts the edge of her dress and dabs at the blood. "Tights are always amazing."

Riddick wakes up with a migraine as he feels cool hands on his side. The scent of the owner of those hands assaults him and he forgets the headache, "River…" he murmurs.

River freezes as her beast and woman sides respond to Riddick saying her name. She closes her mind and scolds the beast.

'You enjoyed it to.' it taunts the woman. The woman blusters, 'Inconsequential. Yes we have needs but now is not the time. And he is not the one.'

The beast pouts, 'We could make him ours.'

The woman in River snarls, fraught with the responsibility she carries in her battle with the panther, 'Do you really think a man and beast such as he would be anyone's? He'd demand to be owner-we'd have to submit. Do you want a leash and collar that's truly binding? Want the leash I hold to disappear and be replaced by chains?'

The panther beast growls, 'The leash I wear now is to control impulses and to keep our part. It's all I'll ever wear again. For now, as he won't submit, he is not ours. But since he will submit and we will have him he stays one we see to. Not as loyally as our pack, mind.'

The woman nods, 'Deal. Let us converge into one. No more of this until the pack is safe in the black. Badness rests here.'

Riddick's beast snarled as he tried to reach River's beast. She was frozen and in the dark he sees her eyes staring at her hands.

River blinks and meets Riddick eyes. He leans as far as the chains will allow and River swallows a purr as he nuzzles at her neck.

Stepping away River walks behind him and tends him. Riddick hisses at her leaving and he quietly tries to escape the chains just so he could take her.


	10. Chapter 10

**Here we are again. **

**Thinking everyone's liking the short intro boldy things.**

**I know I hate reading crazy blurbs and stuff...but I have to say the panther and hellhound in my head won't shut up and I'm writing things out of order. Also, I'm writing as I watch the movie to be more accurate. And my family had taken over the TV so bear with me as the panther, hellhound and I fight for dominance. **

**Without further ado...

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River sits against the wall in the dark and Riddick is still as he memorizes her scent. He keeps his eyes closed despite the dark.

River opens her mind to peek at him and she shakes her head. "We are not here for you." Riddick tilts his head and River continues.

"Our pack is here. We know death for many is coming, grim will swipe down on dark wings as light is mauled one by one. We're here by chance. And we'll leave with our pack.

"That don't include you unless we conjure it does. The pack is three plus us. We'll get off this planet. If not us, then my girls will. You…while we'll look to you, you won't be first priority."

Riddick levels his head up and his beast absorbs her words, finding they weren't changing his mind in thinking she was his. He found the man and beast only wanted to prove she was theirs more.

"Would you die for them?"

River stands and steps closer, she hears the minds of Fry and Johns and Shazza coming but answers him still.

"Yes. We'd die for them. Not for you. We belong to no one, answer to no one. We look to ours and for ours we'll fight and even die. You aren't ours."

Fry smirks as she hears River and cheers silently. Johns wants to rub it in Big Bad's face that dainty River just told him to go fuck himself-his interpretation that of a drug high mind and a bitter memory.

Fry throws open the door, "So where's the body? Wanna tell me about the sounds?"

Johns stands behind Fry, "Speak up Riddick, we ain't here for small talk. Facts."

Shazza clasps her hands together, "Give me the body of me Zeke." River turns and steps back until she's behind and to the right of Riddick. She meets the trio's gazes and Fry steps in closer.

"Fine, don't talk. But just so you know, there's a debate right now about whether we should just leave you to die." Riddick wants to respond with a biting string of curses but River distracts him.

"The whispers…" she murmurs and all eyes but Riddick's go to her. Fry frowns at her new ally, "What?"

River raises her hands and steps forward twice, her hands grasping a metal support as she leaned forward. "Shazza, he's a murderer. But you have the wrong murderer if you're trying to blame him for Zeke. You don't need to be here, we know you want privacy. Go take it now, soon we'll be moving."

Shazza nods and smiles in sad thanks. Johns steps into the room and Riddick turns his head toward River.

"What whispers?" Johns and Fry ask at the same time.

Riddick rumbles, "The ones telling you to go for the sweet spot just to the left of the spine."

River whispers along now, "Fourth lumbar down, the abdominal aorta." Riddick fades out as River grows louder slightly, "It has a metallic taste, human blood, copper-ish."

Riddick smirks as she pauses, "If you cut it with a peppermint schnapps that goes away. 'Course that more for winter, summertime I take mine straight."

River lowers her gaze from Fry and Johns, she raises her feet and catches them around the metal beam, sitting in the rafters.

"Do you want to shock us with the truth now?" River murmurs and stares at Riddick.

Riddick chuckles low at River knowing what he would say. "You know the whispers. These people are all so scared of me, most days I'd take that as a compliment. But it ain't me ya gotta worry about now."

River hears the suggestion that she may be something to worry about. She responds with a purred laugh, "With what our whispers, our silence, is telling us it's something a whole lot worse than you Big Bad."

Johns and Fry watch in transfixed awe, Riddick rumbles low, "I'll tell you where to find it. Let me see your eyes and I'll tell you."

River stills as Johns and Fry look at her. "That one must have been for you," she smirks to Fry who smiles and Riddick turns his head toward the stairs. River hears Jack there and decides its okay. Discipline would come later.

"Go on," Johns voice reflects amusement. River knows he places too much confidence in his restraints. How did the prick catch Riddick? And her and her pack?

River jumped to the ground a good distance from Riddick. "Open your eyes and you'll see our eyes." she whispers.

Riddick smirks, "You'll have to come closer." River steps forward, knowing the game. "Closer." he rumbles and River stands less than two feet in front of him.

Riddick jolts forward and Fry skitters back, falling over the door sill onto her ass and Johns jumps back as well. Jack jolts into the stairs and watches her leader.

River stands still as Riddick stands in her face. His arms angle back and River feels his breath on her skin, knows he's scenting her again.

River holds up her hand to stay Johns and Fry as they stand and point weapons at Riddick.

"Where the hell can I get eyes like that?" Jack asks out of curiosity as much as to break the intensity.

"Gotta kill a few people." Riddick answers with his eyes boring into River's. He sees hers and feels the connection-he wishes for normal sight so he could see her in real color and not mercurial hues.

"'Kay, I can do it." Jack answers. "Then you gotta get sent to a slam where they tell you you'll never see daylight again. Dig up a doctor and you pay him twenty menthol kools to do a surgical shine job on your eyeballs."

"So you can see who's sneaking up on you in the dark?" Jack looks over at River, she knows River's eyes are half like Riddick's. She figures there's a story to how to get those too.

"'Xactly kid." Jack smiles and River growls, "Leave Jack. We'll be talking. Fry, take him to Kaylee." Fry nods, "Young man, ya should'a listened. Some things ain't for you."

Johns watches as River and Riddick stare at each other. River refuses to look away or move. She was telling him that she gave power to no one.

"Cute kid." Riddick whispers to River and she growls protectively, "Lie to our cub? We said we'd look to you. But if you mess with our girls we will ghost you."

Johns shifts, "You said you'd talk." Riddick answers, "Wrong killer. Look." Johns clenches his jaw, "He ain't in the hole, we looked." Riddick doesn't answer.

"We look deeper." River murmurs. Riddick leaned as far as he could, his face less than a centimeter from River's. Johns steps up and lays his hand on River's wrist.

River braces her feet and resists Johns gently tug. She raises her free wrist and lays it to Riddick's cheek. He leans into it and flickers his eyes from hers to her lips.

"Not for you." River whispers and glides away, Johns lagging behind as he still grasps her wrist.

Riddick watches her leave and sits back down with his primal side itching to own her just as much as his civil side.


	11. Chapter 11

**Here we are...there we go...**

**Without further ado...

* * *

**River looks over to see Jack sitting beside Kaylee as Zoe and Shazza are talking off to the side.

River walks toward them as Johns and Fry and Imam go check out the hole. River watches Jack stand and pick up a hunting boomerang. Paris is sitting in front of River's girls by ten feet and Jack pops up behind him and catches the boomerang under his jaw.

River hears Paris curse and hiss at Jack, "Tell me, did you run away from you parents or did they run from you? Filthy uncivilized boy."

River sees Jack deflate and her anger at the girl for disobeying takes a back seat to her anger at Paris for speaking to Jack thusly.

"What was that?" River hisses and stops walking when she stands toe to toe with Paris. Reaching down she grabs Jack's wrist and Paris gulps, "I…"

River glares, "You will go gather Hasan, Suleiman and Ali and bring them back here. Now." Paris stumbles away and River walks to Kaylee, pulling Jack along.

River sits Jack down as calmly as she can manage and levels Jack a glare, "Told you to stick with Imam. And that if the cub didn't listen discipline would come justly from the alpha."

Jack hangs her head and whispers, "I'm sorry. I just couldn't sit wit' holy man sloshing water an' thanking Allah Jesus of Nazareth. Crislam doesn't make a lick of gorram sense."

River kneels, "Granted. But you were told. Discipline shall be learnt little cub. Get down on the ground and pump out push ups until we tell you to stop."

Kaylee stares, "Riv, that's a li'l harsh in this atmosphere."

River glances at Kaylee, "Push ups or whipping. Jack is getting off easy."

Jack nods and drops down, she wobbles as she gives one hundred. River stares toward the hole as she feels Fry's fear. A clanking in the wreckage draws a curse from her.

"Stop, stay." River runs to the room holding Riddick as she feels Fry's fear, she feels the creatures blood lust, excitement.

River watches Riddick slam the metal restraints down in time with the pulse of excitement she is feeling from the creatures.

River tenses as she feels Fry becoming frantic, she feels Johns listening. River's eyes glaze as she mentally watches Johns and Imam run to the spire Fry is trapped within. She sees them bust it open, feels Fry rejoicing at her rescue.

"Fuck! So stupid! I don't know what the ruttin hell is in there, whatever it is it got Zeke and it nearly got me." River growls low as she feels the sharp tug made by desperate creatures.

Riddick watches River and listens to her whisper. He stops pounding as she whirls and runs.

River reaches the hole as Fry speaks. She runs a little further and watches as Fry flies back.

"Ah!" Fry cries out and Johns and Imam rush to grab her as she holds to the crumbling edges of the hole in the spire. "Get it off me! Get it off me!" she hollers desperately.

River jumps up and between Imam and Fry, drawing a shiv and grasping the rope as it pulls back and forth.

The rope burns and eats at River's skin as she works to cut it. Finally she slices through the rope and it falls down, glancing below River sees the creatures scrambling away in disappointment.

Fry gasps in lungfuls of air as River steps back and she collapses into Johns' arms. Imam stares at River and Johns notes her bleeding hand.

"Thank you," Fry whispers finally and River steps up to her, "Welcome. Come," River slides her shiv away and walks ahead.


	12. Chapter 12

**Here we are. **

**Without further ado...

* * *

**

River waits for Johns at the entrance to the wreckage. "Everyone wait here." she instructs as she and Johns walk in to see Riddick.

Fry shakes as she relays what happened to the others.

Riddick stares at the ground as he listens to River and Johns walking toward him. "Finally found something worse than me." he rumbles as Johns leans on a metal support and River stands opposite him.

"Here's the deal, you work without chains, without the bit, without shivs. You do what I say when I say."

Riddick half listened, River had lifted her dress and cut a piece away, wrapping her hand tightly as he smelt her blood.

"For what? The honor of going back to some crap hole of a cell? For who?"

"The truth is I'm tired of chasing you."

"Are you sayin' you'd cut me loose?"

River watched the men talk and she knew Johns angle. She knew Riddick suspected.

"I'm thinkin' ya coulda died in the crash."

Riddick smirks now, Johns was a piece of work. Riddick could practically see him planning how to win it all. Turn his alliance with Fry, with River, with him.

"My recommendation-do me. Don't take the chance that I'll get shiv happy on your wannabe ass. That's what I would do if I were you."

River watched Johns raise his big gauge and aim it, the blast went off as River stood beside him, hand to the barrel and pushing it two inches left.

Riddick throws his head to the side, knowing Johns meant to graze his cheek. He looks back after the blast to see River beside Johns.

The chains clatter to the ground and River meets Johns eyes, "We'll leave you to your talk. Johns, the sight is a millimeter off, your aim was an inch. Had to compensate shaking, you would have grazed his cheek. You're welcome, we just helped you avoid injuring the mule."

Johns smirks as River walks away.

"I want you to remember this moment, the way it coulda gone and didn't. Here," he offers Riddick his goggles and Riddick glances at it, feigning to take the goggles.

Riddick jolts up as he snatches the big gauge, leveling it at Johns as he raises his hands.

"Do we have a deal?" Johns murmurs as he stares at the barrel.

Riddick sighs, "I want you to remember this moment." Throwing down the big gauge he snatches his goggles and walks away with the shackles dangling from his wrists.

River watches Riddick emerge from the wreckage, everyone else had gone to gather supplies, power cells.

Riddick strode over to River and looked her over, goggled eyes lingering on her wound up hand.

River eyes the shackles on his wrists and reaches out, grasping them and pulling him behind her.

Riddick smirks at River pulling him. She stops beside the sled holding things to be lugged. Grasping a torch she carefully cut Riddick loose.

"Blue eyed devil lies. Secrets swirling in everyone-this one you need to know. Pacts made to prevent blood only create more blood. Butcher the donkey after it finishes his job on the mill."

Riddick nods, "Johns wouldn't deal with me. I'm worth money to him. Kinda guessed the hun dan would try ta trick me."

River smiles darkly, "He thinks he is the spider and we are the food. So surprised shall he be to learn he is the smallest spider here."

Riddick steps closer, "And who's biggest?"

River looks up at Riddick from beneath her lashes, indulging woman and beast, Riddick's hellhound purrs and all of him aches to own her.

"There is the food in the web. Then the little spider Johns. There are the bigger spiders, the darkness and grim creatures. Then there is you."

Riddick smirks, "Didn't figure you'd be food."

River giggles, "We aren't. River is the queen. Worst thing around, no one has found anything badder than us yet-and we doubt they will."

River flits away to see to her pack and Riddick watches her with a smirk, "Let's play." he whispers gruffly.


	13. Chapter 13

**I'm back! Finally! I swear I'm trying please please please trust that I am doing my best to crank this story out!**

**Reviews:**

**Thanks to everyone for reviewing! I'm _so_ sorry it took so long!**

**NightStar28- Thanks so much! Ugh, speedy updater-I took too long! I'm glad you enjoy the story! River and Riddick will definitely be playing lots and lots of tug-o-war. Can't give away who will realize they're equaled-or out ranked-first but it's sure to be a funny scene to write and lead up to. Thanks for the advice and just thanks for everything!**

**Solaira- I'm trying to move away from torturous long chapters but if you insist…lol. Yay, I'm so glad you like! More dangerous…..well, maybe we need a scene thrown in to decide? Thanks so much!**

**SusanMarieS- Thanks! The whole aspect of it is River is the perfect blend of the beast and the woman. There's no River in River because River is the finished product. And that probably only makes sense in my crazy muse filled head. Thanks again!**

**White-Dragon-of-Hope- Haha, maybe she'll get that memo later? Thanks!**

**DarkDreamer1982- OMG! Seriously! Ah, thank you! I'm so sorry I took so long but I'm so happy you like my story! River having a beast had to happen sooner or later and I've always seen Riddick having one. I'm super excited to get to write about the ownership scene! Who's going to win and be the best? Girl power River or big bad Riddick? Soon to see! Thanks! Made my day!**

**ArtLightLove & Rachet- Here's the next chapter! Took forever but it's finally here! Thanks!**

**Forestreject- Aw, thanks! The ownership deal with River and Riddick is quite interesting and it's going to be very problematic soon. Thanks!**

**DorySquishy-Yay, thanks!**

**Angelwingz21-Thank you, I'm glad!**

**Elliesmeow- Thanks, I'm glad you like it! River's pack is great and after so long, here we are!**

**Annie- Thanks, here's a fresh serving hot off the press after so long!**

**Harlequin_Shadow- Thanks!**

**Stranded- Aw, thank you so much! I'm working very hard to try and reappear because I love this story so much and getting caught in a rut was not what I expected! Now that I shall be updating again all will be okay! I'm so glad you like my story! You review means so much to me!

* * *

**

Fry hands a power cell to Imam as he hands it down the line to end with Riddick. Riddick carries it and lays it onto the sled.

Johns squints to look at Riddick and smirks, "Harness up boy."

The group of survivors stand around the sled, Riddick in the front with Fry and Johns, Imam to their right as his apprentices stand close to him. Paris stands off from the others but up front, afraid to be alone.

River is in the back, looking over everyone as her pack stands closest to the sled, Kaylee and Jack organizing the load and distributing it to lie even, an easier pull. Zoe stands next to Shazza, letting the new widow lay her head to her shoulder in the heat.

Kaylee frowns at Johns' words, "It ain't exactly a one man job! He ain't even gonna make it half way if'n he gotta pull by himself! It ain't fair!"

Johns scoffs, "He's not a man little lady, he's a beast. He'll make the run. Being fair isn't my first priority, so just back off the sled and let the mule do the work."

Kaylee glances back at River with a questioning look. River smiles at Kaylee's kind heart and holds up her hand, Kaylee looks down and grumbles to herself as she shifts away.

"Johns," River calls quietly and draws the whole group's attention. "Not a mule. Hellhound."

Fry jumps as Riddick barks a chuckle darkly and dons the harness.

Breaking into a familiar formation Johns walks ahead with Fry.

Behind them walks Paris with Imam and the apprentices.

Shazza and Zoe follow and close behind them walks Kaylee and Jack.

Riddick and the sled follow River's pack and he keeps a distance of ten feet, knowing Zoe keeps it in front of them as well.

River finishes off the train they make and she twirls her shivs as she watches the group as a whole, listens to it to, her gaze strays to her pack every few minutes and to Riddick a little more often than she'd admit. She watches the way the harness falls on his shoulders, listens for any strain he's having. Occasionally she can't help but to call out to the hellhound.

"Lift the strap two inches and lay it diagonal." She instructs him and knows it relieves some pressure while decreasing the pull of the sled.

Riddick grunts in response every time, glancing back at her over his shoulder every couple of minutes like he's on a timer.

Fry walks beside Johns with a comfortable gait. She glances back and eyes the group, looking over at Johns she murmurs, "So, click your fingers and he's one of us now?"

Johns chuckles, Fry quietly marvels at how different the chuckles of men can be. She wonders at how one such as Riddick could produce such a dark laugh before snapping back into focus, "I didn't say that. But at least this way I don't have to worry about ya'll falling asleep and not waking up."

Behind them Jack turns and eyes Riddick, "So can I talk to him now?" she pleads to Kaylee.

Kaylee grins and lays her arm around Jack's shoulders, gently forcing the girl to look forward, "Nah, I don't think Riv'd be too fond of that. Seems to me like he an' Riv got something goin'. Not too keen to interrupt with anything."

Jack nods and locks arms with Kaylee, the girls walking along carelessly.

River scowls after a while, she pauses and kicks out of her boots, debating whether to bring them or leave them.

Riddick glances back and sees River lagging, he pauses and waits for her. River's eyes shoot from her boots to meet Riddick's goggled gaze as he stands waiting for her. She waves him ahead but he doesn't move. With a scowling expression to hide her smile River runs ahead, leaving her boots behind and catching up with a grace that Riddick admires for a moment.

They resume walking and Paris stumbles, dropping a bottle and chasing it as it rolls. Finally it stops and in the back River smiles. Paris falls to pick it up but Riddick kneels, grasping it first. River walks up to stand closer to the pair, knowing an interesting conversation would result. Ahead the others are just barely walking.

Riddick stands and Paris follows as if pulled to his feet.

"Paris P. Oglive. Antiquities dealer, entrepreneur. "

Riddick glances at the man's offered hand and answers as he shakes, "Richard B. Riddick. Escaped convict, murderer."

Paris pales and nods slowly, River giggles quietly, "That's a particularly good shiraz. It's a lovely drop. It's," he watches Riddick gulp it down, "it's very expensive. By all means, please, help yourself."

River flits over and smiles to Paris, "Not a big deal. Just a bottle."

Paris scoffs, "I wouldn't expect a girl like you to appreciate the beauty of it."

River eyes him as Riddick growls almost silently. "Shiraz is an Earth-that-was traditional red wine. It was rescued some time ago when a man named Lawrence Ramah cultivated the art of growing the syrah grapes on an unnamed planet-one he then christened Syrah, appropriately. The shiraz is easily-if expensively-obtained through direct buying from Syrah. Although, girls like us prefer to travel back channels to obtain such beauty. One can obtain a perfectly aged crate of shiraz for nothing more than winning a good tussle if one knows where to look."

Paris stares at her and she smiles while leading him back to his place, the train resuming pace, "Wasn't always like we are now. Raised in a core world with a father who preferred traveling to Shiraz to pick up his best selections. Good children allowed to dance in the vineyards."

Riddick shakes his head slightly and watches River flit from Paris to her pack before walking back to her position behind him.

"Almost there. Perfectly strapped. Sled is organized right."

Riddick smirks and gruffly murmurs to her, "Lot of surprises in you."

River smiles and dances her way to the end of the train, "Wouldn't have it any other way."

Riddick tugs the harness and hears the whispers in his head voicing the man and beast's opinion, '_Neither would we.'_


	14. Chapter 14

**Another update! Exciting! Getting straight to business...**

**Reviews:  
Rachet- Thanks! I've been missing writing. Hoping to post at least twice a week.**

**Hana-Yes, Riddick and his beast are some of my favorite parts to write and I haven't had too many in this story. Thank you so much!**

**SusanMarieS- You are very welcome. That dialog was fun and the shoes are...well, the bare feet are important. Thank you for reviewing!**

**ArtLightLove- Aw, thanks so much for the review! Doing my best to keep it coming and hoping the next updates aren't too long.**

**Elliesmeow- I'm back! Yay! indeed! The River/Riddick contact is in this one more so that should help stop that withdrawal. (Been there.) Trust me, plenty River/Riddick to come. Thanks!  
**

**-Reading your mind? Just call me River! Thanks so much! I'm so glad you like my River, she's probably my favorite to write. (If you can't tell this story is definitely my favorite to write. Period.) Hopefully this chapter is also one you like!**

**Without further ado...

* * *

**River stands with her bare feet buried in the sand as her pack surrounds her.

Paris sticks close as well as Shazza as Imam, Hasan, Suleiman, and Ali run and walk to the water once more. Imam rejoices with his three apprentices and calls out to offer water to everyone.

Riddick stands watching River, she has her eyes closed but he knows she is as alert as he is.

Inside the skiff Fry pushes the bundle of wires into their plug-in, the system loading up to show it's on-line.

Johns stands watching her as she smiles, "Alright, getting there. So, we've got enough power for a sys check but we'll still need more cells."

"How many are we talking about?" Johns asks.

"Uhm, let's see, we've got a ninety gig draw all together. Ship takes twenty gig cells so it's gotta be five." Fry is confident in her mental math and skills as a pilot.

"Five all together? That's too large. Thirty five kilos each, huh? Pretty heavy."

Fry smiles and turns to look at him, "Pretty heavy. The old sandcat out there looks to be solar."

Johns nods and shrugs, "Might be able to get it going. But if you need a hand…where'd Riddick go?"

River smiles and opens her eyes, "When Johns comes out offer to help Fry with the sandcat. They want to see it fly with the sun as its wings."

Kaylee nods and River pulls her feet from the sand, eyes tracking Riddick as he turns to explore.

"Can I come?" Jack asks after following her gaze.

"No." Zoe answers and River glances at her with a smile.

"Be back. Johns asks, tell him we've gone to play road dog for the hellhound."

Kaylee smiles and nods, standing and brushing her hands off, "Shiny."

Riddick walks around, eyes traveling over deserted buildings and sand. He kneels down and picks up a crushed solar toy before carefully replacing it. His mind flips through scenarios for just why the settlement is dead.

Jack glances up at Zoe and sees Ali.

"Can I go explore with Ali? Close by?"

Zoe glances over Kaylee helping Fry. Shazza is sitting beside Zoe and Imam is tending Suleiman and Hasan as Paris hoards more and more water.

"Don't go far. Stay out of trouble. If you so much as think something's up run to me or River or Kaylee. Stay away from River and Riddick until that time."

Jack smiles, "I swear, I won't even get close to them."

River watches Riddick with interest as he fingers a pair of shattered glasses. He walks to a pair of doors and pulls, hearing a chain rattle. Glancing in the barred off glass he sees an opening, dismisses it. Stepping back and looking up he sees the title of the building under a tarp-Coring Room.

River steps up behind him as she hears the screaming of the dead and the gentle voice of one of Imam's boys as he plays in the area. Plays with Jack.

River growls inside at Jack's unlearned discipline and she knows Riddick is aware of the girls presence as well.

"Know something happened here." She whispers.

Riddick turns and stares at her, "I can put the clues together fairly well."

They watch each other for a moment and then River grimaces slightly, a split second later Johns whistles, "Hey you two. You're missing the party." Johns looks at River and she turns, Riddick can see a spark in her eye and feel a shift in her. She walks over and past Johns without looking at him.

"Come on boy," Johns wears a smug smirk and Riddick growls, ripping the tarp away and hearing a surprised gasp.

Riddick smirks at the kid and imitates Johns, "Missing the party, come on."

Jack stares after him for a moment and lowers her head, "Man!"

She stands and follows Riddick past Johns.

"If you knew I was there…did River?"

Riddick glances at her and she curses.

Johns walks over and lays his hand to Jack's shoulder, he pulls the kid away from Riddick and motions Riddick toward the building where the others had been thanks to Imam.

"Go on, gotta get this one back to River." Johns orders Riddick.

Jack glares at Johns, "I don't like being touched."

Johns sighs, "Yeah, well, I don't like the chance of you running off."

He watches Riddick disappear and turns to find River, thinking she'd be by the sled with the rest of her pack.

Riddick walks inside and goes to one of the open windows. He stands at the edge of it and angles his head to listen over his girl.

Johns jumps and freezes as River stands close to his face, having been behind him. She looks over his shoulder to see Riddick by an open window, gazing out protectively.

"The pack is inside. Thank you for seeing to our pup. We were waiting for him. You have been relieved, go inside."

Johns smiles to River and lets his eyes wander over her in her proximity, "No problem darling."

He turns away and River grimaces at his thoughts, Jack looks to her questioningly.

"We told him not to so much as think on our girls. He hasn't thought on any of you. But he keeps us in his mind regularly."

River pauses and listens as Riddick growls inside.

Johns walks inside and walks over to sit near the center of the room.

"Jack…what exactly is so hard about listening? About falling into your rank? About not lying to superiors who are trying to look out for you?"

Jack froze and guilt edged at the depths of her eyes.

River knew Riddick knew Jack was a girl, and she knew that he would keep the secret.

"Riv, I just-"

River shakes her head and kneels, "No. There is no excuse for disobeying us. No excuse for lying. We will be talking later but right now you are going to stay glued to one of the pack's side. When we leave we shall deal with you. Until then you had better take to being a shadow and listening without question. The first time you disobey or move to slow when we try to keep you alive we will stop looking to you. We care. Can not help it. But if you keep it up we will leave you to fend for yourself. Is that really how you want to prove yourself?"

Jack sniffs and shakes her head. Inside Riddick grunts quietly. River played at Mama Leader well.

"I'm sorry. I won't disappoint you again. I'm so sorry Riv, I just ain't used to none of it and sometimes I just want to be taking care of me cause it never worked when someone else tried!"

River smiles and nods, "Yes, shhh, come here." She pulls Jack into a hug. "We are not like everyone else. We will never hurt you or let others hurt you. Ever. You are our cub and as such we will kill for you. As your alpha we will see to you and we will not let you down. In the meantime, while you adjust, remember we know how your life has been and realize that you have already made us proud just by surviving. By fighting."

Jack sobs quietly and River catches the glint of Riddick's goggles in the window. She smiles slightly to him and pats Jack's shoulder.

"Come jiao nu, we must take you to sit with the others and partake of the valuable sustenance."

Jack freezes and her tears stop and she stares up at River. "Daughter?" The hope in her tone is as clear to River as the fear.

"Lovely daughter. It is what your are to us. Cub to beast, girl to woman. Our daughter."

Jack beams and wipes her eyes, walking beside River with a confidence, an aura of newfound resolve.

Riddick smirks and turns to walk away from the window.

"_She can be your equal. She can be greater than you. We've seen enough to know we must claim her. When will you catch up? Make. Her. Ours."_

Riddick clenches his jaw and disappears into another room, the whispers in his head telling him things he did not need to be told.

He couldn't just walk up to her and take her.

"_Could."_

So he could. But he did not want to. She was nothing like a toy. A toy as he saw every other person on this planet. She was someone he saw having the potential to be the one thing that could control him.

"What the fuck?" he growls to himself as the weight of that thought sunk in.

Control him? Obviously, he needed to get away from this one.

River hears him and stands, walking to the doorway she leans against the frame.

"Scared of a little fighting? Scared of us? Wouldn't you love to play with us? We'll let you in on our game." Her voice is a whisper and it has all of his senses at rapt attention.

"Ain't scared of shit little girl. Stay out of my head."

River smirks and rolls her eyes, giving him a mental push and hearing his growl at her taunting.

Riddick steps closer to the doorway and focuses on just what he's been resisting from doing to her.

_Wall. Hard and fast. Blood. Screams. Shivs in their hands. Bites on her neck. Marks on her skin. Silver eyes looking into the soul. Release._

River bites her lip as she feels her stomach turn into knots. A faint flush rises on her cheeks and he hears her heart fluttering in her chest, mockingbird as it imagines.

They both listen to the other, feel the blood coursing through veins that suddenly are too slow. Breaths coming quicker as the eyes glint.

"_Enough!"_

Riddick chuckles and River shifts to try and alleviate the pressure building in the pit of her stomach. Coiling tighter and making her ache.

"Scared? Don't wanna play? Not to keen on someone else's game darlin'?"

River lets his voice wash over her, anchor her as the dangerous whisper soothes her.

"Ain't scared of shit. Our game was nothing more than playful. Remember you are the one who shot the gun and left the rules unspoken. This game is one we are more than happy to play. Assuming you can keep up."

Riddick takes one larger step to the doorway and watches River, already half across the room as she carries four glasses of water.

He sinks back into the shadows of the room as she settles beside her pack, her eyes finding his and flashing slightly in challenge.


	15. Chapter 15

**Another day, another post!**

**Reviews:  
- Aw, yay, thanks so much! I love writing the River character when she gets someone to interact with like Riddick. While she still has he quirks that's what makes her so markedly unique.  
**

**Forestreject- Enjoy the popcorn, hope the next moves don't disappoint!  
**

**Elliesmeow- I think I'll let you be surprised...thanks for reviewing!  
**

**ArtLightLove- Thanks, I hope it continues to be so!  
**

**Stranded- Exactly, had to get rid of the boots. Glad you like the game. Shazza survive...hm...it is possible I could work that into a twist...but what author gives up their ending? I have to say, the group of survivors that I'm leaving to float on the skiff isn't set in stone so if my muses throw a fit it all could change. Thanks!**

**Also, have to say, this chapter is pretty long and the story is progressing nicely. Working to shorten it down because I don't want it to drag on and on for anyone. **

**

* * *

**Imam had blessed the water. He had thrown in a prayer for Ali, for his safe return since he was the only one to be missing.

"Who were these people anyway? Miners?"

Paris's question snaps Imam back to reality and he glances around.

"Well, it looks like geologists. You know, advanced team. Moves around from rock to rock."

"Nice of them to leave so much stuff here." Zoe cuts in. Her eyes seek River's to see if she's on the right track.

"Why'd they leave their ship? It weren't in need o' nothin' but the power cells. Coulda had one person fly it as a failsafe." Kaylee asks, head tilted and waiting for River to answer. To explain.

Imam looks out the window. The one Riddick had been at. Protectiveness in his stance just as it had leaked through in Riddick's. He sighs and exits, searching for his littlest charge.

Johns draws their attention as he snags a glass of water and shrugs, "It's not a ship. It's a skiff. And it's disposable really."

"More like an emergency life raft, right?" Paris sounds desperately hopeful.

"Yeah, they probably had a big drop ship take them off planet. Wouldn't need a failsafe." Fry smiles as she hopes and River shakes her head slightly.

Opening her mouth to speak, her pack looking to her, a new voice cuts into the conversation.

"These people didn't leave, c'mon. Whatever got Zeke got them. They're all dead."

Faces fall and River nods the least bit to her pack. Shazza shifts at the mention of Zeke. River stares at Riddick as he slips on his goggles.

Silence stretches and River sighs.

"Sentimental people. Tending their homes here, filling them with love and comforting things. All of you can understand that, the value of the dear. Place your life in the objects so that they are part of you. So that when you wither they keep you anchored in the least way for new comfort for survivors."

Blank looks try to puzzle out what River was saying and she takes a sip of her water. She arches her eye brow in question and shakes her head. "You do not really think they left with clothes on the hooks, photos on the shelves? Town like they had it took months to ship out a cargo of your precious belongings and the clothes were more than material. Made by mother's hands and passed through the family. Disposable work clothes but that's not all they left."

Unease settles over many of the group. Fry shrugs and opens her mouth, flailing a bit before she finds the words to say, "Maybe they had weight limits. We don't know."

River shakes her head and Riddick cuts in again, "Know you don't prep your emergency ship unless it's a fucking emergency."

Jack scoffs and stares at River, "He's fucking right."

Johns bristles, "Watch your mouth." River shoots a glare at Johns and he bows his head slightly.

Fry sighs dejectedly, "He's just saying what we're all thinking. So what happened? Where are they?" Fry looks between River and Riddick expectantly.

Imam bursts through a doorway and exclaims in a rush, "Has anyone seen the little one? Ali?"

River's lips part slightly as she feels the sudden rush of grim, the fear claw at her. Slamming her guards up she meets Imam's eyes.

"Coring Room." She breathes the words and all eyes are on her. The group reacts as a scream echoes to them. Fry and Johns in front of the almost running group with Imam. Paris, Shazza, Suleiman and Hasan pull up the middle as Riddick walks slowly from one doorway to the next, eyes cast over to watch River and her pack. River rises with her pack, her bare feet finally meeting the floor.

Gasping she feels the grim, feels and sees and her guards mean nothing when she touches their home, their territory.

"River!" Jack exclaims and River stiffens her spine, eyes darkening as she shoulders the burden.

"Stay close." She whispers it and Riddick is still in the room with them, pausing to watch the shift in his girl.

They move quickly to catch up, then easily out stride the others and reach the doors first.

River clenches her jaw as she feels blood slither down her throat and bring the thirst for more to a crashing climax. The grim have found a meal.

She nods to Zoe and watches the other woman pull her gun and fire two clean shots to blow the chains.

The group pauses behind River's pack as they arrive. River glances to Zoe and pushes open the doors, stepping in first.

Imam runs forward and looks around desperately. "Ali? Ali!"

River glances back, "Jack, stay close. Kaylee, keep Jack close and then tuck in to Zoe. Keep out your gun and stay by the door. In the light."

Nods answer and River walks forward, feeling the pulse of the thirst, of the pain. Suddenly the pressure on her shields to keep out the thoughts lessened. Ali was only silence now.

Imam creeps over in front of a door, with trembling hands he reaches out for it. River steps to the light as it flies open and the group erupts with cursing and disgruntled noises.

The torrent of creatures fly around, desperate themselves, seeking the dark. One swipes at Jack, frantic for blood. River shivs its claw off and crouches in front of her pack.

As they disappear Johns and Fry call out to Imam.

River feels him throwing up as he's seen Ali. What was left of him.

Most everyone sits outside watching as Imam prays with Hasan and Suleiman over Ali.

Johns, Fry, River and Riddick are in the Coring Room.

Riddick stands leaning on a chain as he watches Johns strike a green flare with Fry beside him. Johns tosses the flare down the hole that the raptors disappeared into.

River watches in fascination from her location as the flare lights up the tunnel that has bones dug into the sides, piled underneath the drop with skulls, ribs and other bones. Bones River unconsciously begins to name, over and over, to count the dead.

"Other buildings weren't secure." Smoke wafts up to River as Riddick voice washes over her. Fry and Johns exchange a look as Riddick keeps talking, "So they ran here. Heaviest doors. Thought they'd be safe inside."

"But they forgot to lock the cellar." All eyes fly to River and see her half laying, half crouched, torso over the top of the whole as her head tilts to the left and she examines.

Johns rolls his eyes and looks over the creepy woman. Fry swallows, fearful eyes darting about the tunnel as memories of the spires rush in.

"Yeah, well, whatever the fuck those things were they seem to stick to darkness so if we stick to daylight we should be alright. Okay? Let's go."

In one lithe movement River is on her feet and jumping to the platform the others rest on. Riddick deftly reaches out and catches her arm, pulling her farther in from the edge.

"Theory would be correct if no instincts were taken into calculations. We believe more data is needed for accurate plan of action. Grim is not here, but they are. They sleep and wait. We did not wake them with blood alone. Taunted them. They are here because they are here. Must know how long before their rules make us play their game."

Fry frowns, leaning in toward River. "I don't understand. The creatures are in the dark. We're in the gorram light with three ruttin' suns. It seems to me like we got enough light out there to keep a game of our own so long as we stay out of their territories."

River frowns and shakes her head, "Do not understand. We are playing their game now. Playing blindly. Facing our opponent without having studied them. At the very least we must learn their start signal."

Riddick grunts as he walks over to a table with cylinders on it. Picking it up and examines the label. "Twenty two years to our date. That enough for your calculations girl?"

Johns looks between the trio surrounding him with a fierce look, underneath River reads the confusion in his eyes.

"Perfect. Come, children found what we seek before we knew we sought it."

Jack leads the way to the room with the planetary alignment model in it. River kneels in front of it and slowly spins it until the years signify twenty two.

"We told you. Johns, your theory is worthless. They are here because they are here. And now we are in their game of night."

Riddick smirks as almost everyone curses, air fills with three languages of cursing. His eyes rest on River, kneeling before the model with her pack behind her. Her women stand stoic even as the soft, bubbly one trembles a bit and the kid has fear buried in her eyes. The Amazon woman's eyes are clouded and her jaw is clenched. Riddick knows by instinct her mind is on memories. River looks over at him, eyes clear and face dark, looking for all the worlds like she wants the challenge.

"You're not afraid of the dark, are you?"

Fry finally gets River away from the model. She walks beside her as Johns trails behind.

"So, we gotta get the power cells. I still gotta check on the hull and check the wings." Fry is talking out of duty and nerves.

Johns' voice floats to them, "Wait on those cells."

Fry stops but River walks a little more, then twirls back to be beside them, circling them.

"Why? Wait for what? Till it's so dark we can't find our way back?"

"We don't know when its gonna happen so let's not get over excited."

"Just get the fucking cells here Johns. What-what is so hard about that?"

River sighs and leans between them, she glances over at Johns and murmurs, "She is right. We continued with the model to calculate the lasting of the game. Light will not be reborn until the course of twenty six weeks. Even then it shall take twenty six more to fully descend."

With her say in the matter done River dances away, feeling more than two pairs of eyes following her.

River twirls to her pack and sits with them.

"Hey little one, where'd you leave Johns and Fry?" Zoe smiles slightly as she talks and River feels the thoughts of Serenity in her mind.

"You told Jack of our home."

Kaylee squeals with giggles and nods with enthusiasm, "Oh, we cain't wait to be back on Serenity with our cub and the new you! It'll be so great to tell our story to the guys and to have Serenity welcome us!"

Jack smiles tentatively, "Zoe already told me which bunk I could have and everything. Said it's at the end with you."

River sits on the sand and pulls Jack between her legs, resting the girl's back to her chest, "When we sleep we reside in the guest area. Farthest from the crew."

Kaylee smiles, "Yeah, but now that we got everythin' shiny an' stuff that can change?"

River smiles to her, "We shall see. Not there yet. Fry is listening to Johns tell the story of how Riddick escaped. Scaring her into submission. Stealing her for his team in the game. He is telling her who Riddick is. Who we are. Doesn't trust the Riddick, the River."

Kaylee snorts and Jack rolls her eyes. Zoe frowns, "Will he be trouble?"

River smiles a smile that turns the blood in Zoe's veins cold. "Oh, he can not trouble us. If he ever managed to sneak past us we have an extra pair of eyes itching to put the hype down."

Jack blinks, "Whatta ya mean?"

River tilts her head, "We have a hellhound warrior to protect us. And when he sees that protecting the River means protecting her pack no one will touch any of you. We can take care of ourselves but we take care of you all as well. If we should lapse the hellhound will fight for us all."

Kaylee sighs dreamily as she imagines River having someone to champion her.

Jack grins as she understands.

Zoe frowns and blinks, "Uh, River, ya don't mean to say that Riddick is seriously taking an interest in you?"

River smiles and looks over her should, watching the shadows of a building as she feels Riddick there. "He is not taking an interest so much as a claim. But he has been warned we will mark him in return."

River looks away from the shadows and meets two surprised stares. Jack is laying in comfort with her eyes closed slightly, sleep pulling at her.

River rolls her eyes and mutters, "Stupid jester convinces our masked leader that the hellhound will turn on us, skullfuck us in our sleep, if we do not follow his word. Tells her that despite our title the hellhound will use us and our pack."

Kaylee shakes her head, "Riddick wouldn't skullfuck any of us. And even if he tried you'd stop him. Hell, he knows you would!"

Zoe shifts closer and whispers, "What if Riddick does want to use you River?"

River smiles and winks, "What if we do not want to be used so much as played with? Besides, as far as what the hellhound and the jester want, the jester would sooner skullfuck the River than the hellhound would. Granted to say the Riddick thinks of us against a wall, in his mind we are always willing. And in the jester's we are nothing more than a toy. Makes you wonder how one is held in light while the other is chained in darkness."

Zoe and Kaylee have their mouths hanging open at River's blunt words. Jack, thankfully, is asleep.

River shifts Jack until the girl is laying on Kaylee, "Will be back." She flits away leaving her pack behind with shock on their faces.

Riddick sneaks from the shadows and sits beside the skiff. He greases his head and begins to shave deftly.

Johns stumbles from the ramp and braces a hand to the side of the skiff as he coughs and shakes.

"Bad sign. Shaking like that in this heat."

Johns works his jaw and stutters, "Thought I said no shivs-shivs." He coughs and gags, looking down as he leans heavier on the skiff.

"This?" Riddick examines the blade mockingly, "This is just a personal grooming device."

Johns watches Riddick drag the shiv across the skin of his head, then bang the shiv clean against a metal jar.

"Brother is a doctor. Could not help but learn many things. If you will allow it we can look over you. Check to be clear that the heat is not affecting you." River's voice floats over and both men turn to see her leaning at the back end of the skiff.

Johns grins and shrugs, "Reckon I should let you help me but I'm almost certain I can take care of myself."

Riddick tightens his hold on the shiv and River smirks, glad that he is getting angry. Same as she is feeling as she hears his thoughts.

"We are certain you can look to yourself but if you wait for us we will be along to help if you need it. First, we must get out blade back from the Riddick."

Johns glances to Riddick with a smug smirk and nods, "I'll let you find me then."

Riddick watches the blue eyed devil leave and then turns to face River. "Don't touch him." He growls.

River narrows her eyes and tilts her head. "If you will play so shall we."

Riddick finishes shaving and watches River, mouth pressed in a hard line.

"Your beast called. Wants to know how long you will have with the masked leader. Hull test will last five minutes. Ample time for your task, we're sure."

River turns to walk away from Riddick, a new feeling of anger and something she has only felt a few times from others in her. Jealousy? Even so, she knows Riddick is feeling it as well and that makes her smirk.

A hand grabs her wrist and spins her, snapping her from her thoughts. River braces her feet and leans away from the body she is now close to.

"Only one I'm looking to play with is you. You've heard the beast, the whispers."

River narrows her eyes and grits her teeth, "Yes, heard them. Do not see us as a toy. That does not stop you from toying with others. If you will, we must be departing."

Riddick growls and spins, pulling River so that she will hit the side of the skiff.

River anticipates his move and keeps her legs locked so she falls from his pull, dragging his unprepared body with hers.

River rolls as soon as she feels dirt until she is straddling Riddick and she grabs the 'grooming device' brandishing it at his ribs.

"Can't kill me like that."

River smiles, "Muscles to dig through. Don't want to kill. Could if we wanted to. But if we must we will dig in until those ribs of your separate and splinter, until blood makes the handle slick."

Riddick looks up at the woman straddling him, pinning him with one hand and ready to wound him with the other.

River gasps slightly as she feels the feeling of arousal coming from Riddick. She knows is she scoots back she will feel the psychical proof.

Riddick smells the slight change in her scent, he sees her eyes take more of a shine. She's just as aroused as he is.

"Trust me woman, ain't too happy about what I plan on doing. But it's what I am going to do. If I could have you be the in that skiff with me, let's just say there's be quiet a few hull tests running on repeat."

River barks a laugh, "You see us as yours."

Riddick growls, "You are mine."

River leans close to his face and growls back, "Power given with ownership. Will not suffer that again. This," River pushes her hips back until she feels her ass brush against his stiff cock, "is attraction. Not proof of ownership. If circumstances were different we'd be glad to take you for a ride. But fucking and owning are two different things."

Riddick doesn't think he can get any more turned on. Hearing her talk like that makes him painfully stiff and he has to use all his will to lay still under her, aware of what happens to his ribs if he should buck his hips.

"Only lie to yourself for so long. Can't lie to me. The whispers know the truth. I know the truth. Matter of time before we make sure everyone knows."

River glares at him, "Remember that game? Let's play. See who owns who. We are more than confident that playing with you will leave you on your back."

Riddick rumbles a laugh and smirks as he projects another image for her.

_Slapping flesh. Hands on her waist. Hands on his chest. His name from her lips. His touch coiling her tighter. Her on top. Her coming apart as he watches._

River presses the tip of the shiv to draw a rivulet of blood. At the slight pain Riddick realizes he was wrong. Now he can not possibly be any more aroused.

"So many games all at once. Maybe yours is our new favorite."

River lets her beast project the next image.

_Digging nails. Rocking hips. Whimpers from her lips. Groans from his lips. Hair over her shoulder. Body bent over her desk. Hands on her waist. Fingers leaving bruises. Primal._

With a growl Riddick pushes up, almost burying the shiv under his rib but River pulls it back and tosses it to the side. He rolls them as his hands go to her waist, ready to pin her still beneath him. River rolls the opposite way as his body carries hers. She is on her feet just as he is.

"What, don't want to play?" River smiles predatorily and Riddick steps toward her.

"Fry is going to start her test. We must go delay Johns' next spike. Oh, and you are bleeding."

River turns and steps away, body hot from their game. Behind her Riddick curses and growls. Striding to the ramp he smirks at thoughts of his girl.


	16. Chapter 16

**Well here we are again! Woo-hoo! To contain myself and get to work...**

**Reviews:**

**Elliesmeow- Here they are, thanks so much for reviewing!**

**Forestreject- No, no choking! CPR! Firefighters! Water! Haha, thanks for reviewing, glad you liked!**

**Stranded- First off, thanks for the amazing review! Second, so glad the length isn't an issue! Yay, yay, yay on so many levels! As I write I'm striving for it to just flow and still remain as close to what I'm aiming for as possible, thank you so much, it's great to hear such input! Another chapter to feed the addiction, hope you enjoy!**

**ArtLightLove- Thanks for reviewing and those two just won't shut up if I refuse to let them play. Worse than five-year-olds in timeout!**

**Rachet- Thanks for the review, I love that I'm updating more! I missed it! I thought I warned a bit, a long time ago in galaxy far far away, that the rating would be upping? If not, it will because those two are too primal and uncontrollable for me and the muses! that explanation is all of one sentence I think. Enjoy!**

**-Thanks for reviewing, sorry your name likes to disappear! I hope it stays this time...  
I think that one of the appeals of writing Riddick is all the raw material left hanging around for his character. Even with a bit of research it's definitely tasty-tempting to make his character even more unique than what we see. For me, that's the same with River. Developing their quirks and deeper stories for them is something that distracts me regularly. Enjoy the chapter!  
**

**Sxevlbtch- Thanks! Suns are definitely setting!**

**A/N: Apparently, things are disappearing in these uploads. In the last few chapters my lines have disappeared. Those line separate things, I need them! So, I'm going back through the story and editing tonight, or tomorrow night. Lines will appear, spelling shall be fixed and names will be boldly engraved before a review reply. I'd like to thank all of you for taking the time to read this story and especially all of those who take the time to warm up those fingers and review. Appreciation doesn't begin to cover it. Without further ado...or interruptions, like my mouth...  
**

* * *

Riddick smirks as he walks away from the skiff. Fry was scared of him. Like he needed her to say it to know it. She was turned on by him. Flattering, but not something he cared about. No, he cared that the little woman with the shining eyes was turned on by him. That she was not scared of him. She'd been jealous over his toying with Fry? Ha! Riddick had the feeling, instinct, that she wouldn't have to get jealous over any kind of competition when it came to him. Seemed to him she was the only one he could want. And damn if her statement of ownership and power didn't start to make clear sense.

* * *

River hands Johns a glass of water and looks him over. She knows Johns won't take his next spike until she leaves and she doesn't plan on leaving until Fry is almost at the building. As River counts Johns' pulse with fake concern she lets her thoughts drift. Riddick had been angry and jealous over her going with Johns? Hm. That he was concerned she could be attracted to another made her want to giggle. Weren't many men she would even glance at, let alone let stick around long enough to know how to push her buttons, know how to make her ache. When it got right down to it all of her encounters with men, outside of her crew-family-pack, were fighting them. Happened so that if they got too close and she might like them, suddenly they wanted to control her. Wanted to know just why she held back. Only, River was wondering if with him she'd have to hold back.

* * *

River grins to Shazza as she feels the tension between the now feuding Fry and Johns. Shazza returns the grin and rubs the sandcat affectionately.

"Thanks for lending Kaylee, girl's a bloody genius with the mechanics as I already told her."

River shrugs, "We just want to get off of this planet."

Shazza frowns then, "Your girls, kids-your pack, if or when the killing starts what's going to happen to the rest of us?"

River looks at the survivors, her pack working to help the others.

"Lights go out, curtains open and the prima ballerina gives a show." At Shazza's confusion River faces her, "We will not let anyone die if it can be avoided. Our pack comes first, before even us, but if we can stop a death and still protect the pack then it will be stopped. Dong ma?"

Shazza smiles and nods, "So there's hope for us all. Imam said God would guide us and send a guardian angel. Never thought our angel would be someone a cop was trying to take back to a cell."

River glances around and, deciding no one is watching, hugs her.

She pulls away and Shazza laughs, "Had to look around first?"

River leads the woman to the sandcat, "If Johns had seen us hug you then he would request a hug as well. Fry would think us losing track. Our pack would be happy, but distracted. Imam would be proud and hug his own charges. Paris would…have another drink."

Shazza laughs and nods, "I can't claim to be too caring on whether he lives or dies. What about Riddick?"

River smirks, "Riddick…he is harder. Either want a hug of his own or jealous over 'his girl' being near others."

Shazza shakes her head in sympathetic humor, "Poor lass, stay strong."

* * *

Fry storms away from Johns to hear Hasan and Suleiman calling her captain.

"I'm not your fucking captain!" she hisses.

Looking over she sees River shake her head slightly and faintly remember, before the truce, the command to wear the mask and fall apart later. And here she was starting to crumble and tear.

Shazza glances at the sky and strides to Fry as the woman stands still, face turned heaven wards.

As a group Fry, Shazza, Paris, Imam, Hasan, Suleiman, Jack and Kaylee are staring to the sky, watching in horror with sinking stomachs.

"What are my eyes seeing?" Paris whispers.

"If we need anything from the crash ship, I suggest we kick on. Sandcat runs solar."

Smartly Shazza immediately runs and jumps into the pilot seat of the sandcat. Paris jumps into a place as Imam lifts Hasan and Suleiman on. Zoe jumps up, wobbling when Imam lends her a hand. She smiles to him and he nods, offering a hand to Kaylee and Jack. Jack struggles to jump up and winces as she does. River, behind her, lifts the girl easily and tosses her gently to Imam. Fry is behind Shazza, watching everyone scramble.

"Where's Riddick?" Jack asks as she looks around. Looking to River she feels slight panic.

"Who cares? Leave him! He wouldn't wait for us!" Paris sneers.

River growls and glares at him, he pales slightly and tries to glare back. River looks away and Paris huffs in smug winnings. River watches Riddick jump onto the sandcat. Paris turns nearly transparent and stands, feeling Riddick behind him, "Thought we lost you." He murmurs and sits hastily, staring at his feet.

Riddick glances at Jack, he smirks slightly and settles across from River, Jack beams and looks over to River who is watching the sky.

"Are we gonna make it?" Jack whispers.

River looks down at Jack and smiles, "It does not matter jiao nu, we will still protect you-light or dark."

"Johns?" Fry calls out and looks toward the building she had left him in.

Johns runs out, vest and red case of shells in hand. Shazza has the sandcat running at a slow clip. Johns watches River as the wind whips her hair back and he jumps onto the sandcat, accepting the offered hand of help as his attention is on River. Glancing at the hand, the owner of the hand shows him Riddick and Johns glares back into the dark goggles. They move faster and Riddick tosses Johns over farther from the ledge. Jack wonders if that makes it easier to resist the urge to push him off and leave him.

* * *

Driving through Shazza grabs a shortcut, thinking they can all clear it. Riddick smirks as he sees the approaching bones, knows some heads are up too high. River spots it and pulls Jack tighter to her, pushes her down lower. The others all hunker down to avoid being hit.

Kaylee looks up and examines the solar feed for the sandcat. River sees her head up to high the same time Riddick does, only seconds before they hit the bones.

Riddick feels River's instant panic and worry, he reaches out grabs Kaylee's coverall strap, tugging her out of the way and then pushing her to a safer height.

River smiles and sighs, letting herself communicate with him, _'Thank you.'_

Riddick doesn't react but inside River hears the slight purr of his hellhound, _'Instinct.'_ He tries to brush it off.

River rolls her eyes, _'Never thought you would look to our pack if we were failing. Told them you would but it was more to assuage their fears.'_

Riddick leans forward slightly, _'I don't look to nothing or no one that ain't mine. I see you as mine. That ain't like to change and not something I want to change neither. Your pack is yours but looking to them is something I guess I can't help but help with.'_

River smiles and tilts her head at him, _'And the game pace quickens.'_

Kaylee looks up at Riddick and smiles, "Thanks!" she yells.

Riddick glances down at her and she looks up to see what he'd been looking at. River.

"She appreciates it too! Go you, earning points with Riv!"

Riddick smirks slightly and rumbles back, "Earning points, have to to win the game."

Kaylee glances at River and giggles, "If she got ya ta play the game she's already won."

Riddick shrugs and leans back, "And if I got her to play one of mine?"

Kaylee feels her jaw drop a bit. "Then maybe she's finally met her match."

Riddick isn't familiar with the feelings his beast and man get at those words from someone in her pack.

* * *

Before the sandcat stops most everyone is jumping out. Kaylee goes with Fry to grab supplies as Riddick, Johns and Imam go for power cells.

Shazza yells after Paris as he walks toward a storage cell, "Hey! Where are you going?"

"I'm just going to get a couple of things, I'll only be a few minutes. You wouldn't leave without me would you?"

Shazza scoffs and he takes off at a run.

Zoe sits in the seat beside Shazza, watching over the children as they watch the sky.

River stands between the sandcat and wreckage, eyes on the sky and her mind on the ground. She feels the creatures' excitement. They know.

Shazza backs the sandcat up as close as she can get to help lessen the wasting of time.

Johns struggles with a power cell as Riddick hauls two power cells over his shoulders and easily carries them quicker than Johns, passing River and settling them on the sandcat. Johns grunts and Imam struggles with one behind him.

Hasan, Suleiman and Jack rub the dirt from the solar feed for the sandcat as Fry and Kaylee emerge with packs and Paris reaches the storage cell.

River watches the light dim, feels the heat lessen. A gold fading glow covers the planet and Shazza growls and tries to run the sandcat on will.

A cry fills the air, followed by many more as the creatures rejoice in coming out to play. Spires shoot raptors out and the groups watches.

"How many are there?"

Riddick watches River as she watches the sky. A look of interest on her face as her face hardens and she tenses, ready to fight.

"Beautiful." He whispers and draws River from her daze. Their eyes lock and she glances at the waiting Johns.

"Allah!" Imam whispers.

"People!" Paris yells, "Just a suggestion, perhaps you should flee!"

Paris' voice snaps most everyone into action. Fry bangs on the sandcat, "Let's move!"

Imam ushers Hasan and Suleiman past and Shazza kicks the sandcat, "Shit!" she screams.

Zoe looks at the new widow and compassionately grabs her hand, running with her.

Johns and Fry lead the run as Imam follows with his children. Zoe grabs hold of Kaylee as she starts running, pausing to look to River. "Go!" River hollers.

Jack starts to run and River keeps the slow pace, not leaving her cub.

"Riv, it hurts!" she gasps out, River can feel the pains the girl feels and knows it isn't fair to expect her to run. Ahead of them Riddick drops his pace to let them get ahead.

"Come on!" Paris yells.

As the group arrives Fry and Johns pulls the kids in, "Get in, get in!" Fry hurries them. Zoe and Kaylee look out the door in horror as River and Jack lag behind.

The screeching of the creatures is louder, quicker in their excitement.

"My stomach!" Jack cries quietly and River knows the creatures will get them if she doesn't do something. River grabs Jack mid run and slings her legs around her waist, holding her tight and running a little faster. Ahead, Riddick curses and watches the creatures come closer.

"Get down!" Zoe yells. River jumps toward a ditch and rolls, hitting her back hard on the dirt and bouncing. Quickly she rolls so Jack is pressed face first to the dirt. Grabbing a shiv out River prepares to defend against swooping hunger.

Riddick goes airborne the same time as River, pushing soft so he lands a foot behind his girl.

The creatures fly overhead and Riddick looks ahead at River and Jack.

At the doors Johns and Fry stare out in awe. Zoe and Shazza hold Kaylee as she screams, "Stay down! Riv! Jack! Riddick!"

River watches the sky, feels more coming and rolls again, pressing Jack into the side of the ditch and pinning her with her body. Riddick hisses as he watches a claw try to grab Jack. River slices it and grabs the arm, pulling hard to ground the creature, making the others descend and carry its bleeding body into the air for a meal. Jack pants and squirms, Riddick growls silently, seeing another drop for Jack. River holds the shiv up enough to skim the tip through its stomach.

As the last ones pass over Riddick rolls to his feet and dusts his hands off as he strides toward his girl and her cub.

River rolls away and to her feet, leaning down to grab Jack, "Are you all right jiao nu?"

Jack nods and holds her stomach. Riddick takes in the scene Jack makes, the fact that she's a girl playing at being a boy and the scent of blood. Anger courses through his veins as he guesses at why. River gingerly picks the girl up from the dirt and goes to place her in her arms to carry her when two strong arms lift the slight weight away from her.

Instinctively River grips two shivs and spins, facing whoever took her girl. She looks into the blank face of Riddick.

Riddick takes in River's instant defensive stance and shifts Jack so that the girl is resting with minimal strain on her stomach in his arms.

"We need to move."

River nods and slides the shivs away. She walks close beside Riddick as Jack looks toward the storage cell, looks at the others.

'_What's the kid's story?'_

River glances at Riddick out of the corner of her eye and the panther murmurs, _'More than likely what you are thinking. Angry, we know. Wait and trust that we will look to her. She shall tell her story when we are in the skiff, floating away.'_

Riddick grunts quietly in acknowledgement.


	17. Chapter 17

**Another one! **

**Reviews:**

**Sxevlbtch-Thanks! So much! Yeah, I figured the whispers knew all along but they wanted to draw it out for the man and let him remember he needs them. Anyway, glad you liked even though I got off track and should rewrite this reply...hm, nope. Hope you like what I've done!  
**

**SusanMarieS- Yay! Your welcome and thank you for the review!  
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**Elliesmeow- Yesh! Score! I rewrote it three times and then it made me happy! Kaylee needs more time to drive Riddick insane with her bubbly sunshine ways! Thanks for reviewing!  
**

**Annie- Don't apologize, I'm should be sorry I can't be smarter than a computer that eats people's names! Annie seems to work, so yay! Thank you so much! And yes, Kaylee and Zoe have just been bumming around in the background but now they're more up front and center! Thanks for the review!  
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**Rachet- You may be happy about it but I'd imagine Riddick would have some words on the issue...or will. Thanks for the review! Enjoy!  
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**ArtLightLove- Yay, glad you liked! But don't fret, he's not going soft, trust me. I'm glad you like where I'm taking it! Thanks!  
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**So, this one is pretty long because I might not post again this weekend and I wanted to see that everyone had a nice fix for that occasion should it arise. Happy reading!  
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* * *

**River stops and turns as they reach the door. Jack looks around Riddick's arm and protests, "Riv, we gotta get inside."

River looks out as she hears the spires cracking and crumbling. "Look," she whispers in slight awe.

Riddick turns and looks at what she's seeing. With his goggles it's all shadows. River unconsciously reaches over and lifts his goggles, sliding them off and letting them dangle from her hand.

Jack looks out into the dark before burying her face in Riddick's chest at the sounds of the creature's cries.

"It's so breathtaking." River murmurs as she watches the raptors swarm out and arch through the sky. Riddick watches as well, then looks away to watch River as she stands transfixed.

For once, River is thankful for the needles that had been in her eyes. She can see better than the average human and with the added instincts of her beast, added vision, she can see enough to get the picture and imagine the finer details.

Jack's thoughts jolt River back to reality and she looks at the girl, "Oh little cub," she whispers and lays her hand to Jack's head.

"To close the doors we have to actually be inside!" Paris yells at them in fear.

River presses the goggles into Riddick's hand and closely follows as he walks inside.

* * *

Riddick places Jack on the ground as the sound of the lock being thrown on the doors vibrates through the metal storage cell. Jack nods to him in thanks and shifts, hand fluttering over her stomach before she plants them on her hips instead.

River walks over to Jack and smiles to Riddick. She walks behind Jack, glancing to the group of survivors heading deeper into the cell as Johns leads with light. Zoe and Kaylee meander with Shazza at the back of the group, eyes darting toward River every few seconds.

Riddick watches River wrap her arms around Jack's shoulders and he's glad she'd taken off his goggles.

"Jack, we know it hurts. Feel you want to scream. Listen to us."

Jack nods and closes her eyes, hating to appear weak but unable to fight the intense pain.

River grasps Jack's hands and grips them to her forearms. "Don't scream. Squeeze tightly and breathe."

Jack doesn't think to resist, just squeezes her hands tightly around River's forearms. Riddick watches River close her eyes and a look of focus take her features. He sees trails of blood bloom from Jack's slight nails biting into her skin. He knows the bruising will start soon.

River focuses on Jack's pain and tries to throw a shield on it. She snarls low as she wrestles to take the pain away from her cub.

Jack gasps as a warm emptiness fills her and her eyes fly open, seek out River's and see more silver in her eyes.

"You…"

River bends down and kisses Jack's forehead gently. "Go with Kaylee. Remember to stay close."

Jack nods and releases her grip on River, not even noticing the blood. She walks carefully to Kaylee, testing for pain. Finding none she turns to River and smiles, "Xie xie mu hou." Though the soft voice is a whisper everyone close hears the words.

_'Queen-mother…suits you. Woman and beast are recognized. Alpha and protector respected.'_ Riddick rumbles the words low and steady to her mentally as he walks closer. He looks over her arms and lets his eyes travel back to her face.

River deftly slices cloth from her dress. What once was a knee length dress now hugs her thighs. Riddick takes the strips of material and expertly binds her bleeding forearms.

"Blood hunger." Riddick speaks absently but his whole focus is on the fact, on the effects of it.

River smiles as she hears him piecing things together. "We just gave them a new target to aim for. Our cub will be smothered with the smells of gunpowder and alcohol as she stays close to the rest of the pack. We take up rear and hang ten feet back. Allows protection, reaction and the creatures to try and get at the arms that will spread the scent."

Riddick shakes his head and his face is deadly blank, "Heroics ain't shit if they get you dead."

River's face hardens in a blink and she hisses, "Heroics are not our angle. We are merely doing what is right for our pack. Do not dare question us." River whirls away and makes to follow after her pack when Riddick grabs her arm.

"River-" he growls and gets interrupted when River faces him and glares.

"Those girls are ours and we will not let anything happen to them. They have formed connections to the others and so we will do our best to protect them as well. Do not think that we are not capable of what we are trying because in that logic you are flawed and in that assumption you can be corrected with a demonstration. We were made to be a protector. No power in the 'Verse can stop us, not even you so don't try."

River pulls her arm from him and stomps away, her scent of sweet honey, gun powder and lead, hot cinnamon and ash mixing with the unique scent of her anger and adrenaline-metallic edges and copper-ish blood and the burn of the first gulp of too pure alcohol. Inhaling deep Riddick wonders how she keeps getting more and more appealing to his beast and his man.

* * *

The group moves rather quickly, any available lights shining and waving in front of bodies moving forward. They move silently for a few minutes before Paris lets out a shuttering breath, "So those are the things."

Zoe snorts, "I'd say it's a safe bet of genius that them are the like that made that bone yard." River smiles at Zoe deadpan voice and expression.

Paris gulps, "Are these the only lights we have? Is this everything?" his voice wavers even more.

Kaylee shakes her head, "Nah, there's a cuttin' torch somewheres on the floor. I just can't find it yet." She smiles reassuringly but Paris only breathes heavier. Kaylee looks to River with wide eyes and River hears her concern. A smile is all she offers but Kaylee is easy enough to please and she beams as if all is right in her world once more.

River hears the cries outside and sees Imam latch his focus to them. "Quiet please, everyone."

Imam presses his ear to the side of the storage cell along side his apprentices. Fry walks over and leans her hand on the wall as she leans close to it. Jack and Kaylee make to walk toward it but River grabs them and pulls them with her away from the wall. She pulls them the direction they had just traveled, safely away from the noisy wall and wall that made her growl.

"Why do they do that?" Jack whispers loud enough for the whole group to have a chance to answer.

"Adaptation for a species who thrives in dark. Take away the sense of vision and others shall heighten. Blind flight is not wise, must see to survive."

At the group's mostly blank look River grits her teeth. Jack and Kaylee have looks of determination on their faces as they mull over her words. Zoe is stoic as ever.

"Perhaps…they use every sense to see? Not just sight?" Shazza offers weakly.

Riddick smirks and wonders if he should translate. His pride at the way River had reacted to him earlier allows him to remain quiet. She obviously doesn't need him.

River shoots Riddick a glare as he stands at the front of the group. By the wall that makes her growl. _'Another game then?'_

Riddick looks over at her before snarling mentally, _'You started this one. Let's try another, like you staying the fuck out of my head!'_

River recoils from his thought and glares, her eyes flashing and she sets her lips into a hard line as she snarls back an unintelligible growl. Riddick feels a door slam in his head and her presence is gone. Immediately his beast whines at him and he almost regrets his actions. _'Serves the girl right, we'll see how well she can handle me without being in my head.'_

"Maybe…it's the way they see?" As Kaylee lets the statement hang she gets looks similar to River's patented _'you're a boob' _expression. "By using sound."

Zoe nods, "The sound waves bounce back to them. Echo-location?"

River nods and then Paris is talking again but a loud bang on the wall that makes River growl-and was closest to Riddick. Riddick spins and instinctively drops his hand to his shiv. Most everyone jumps. But River.

"Breach in the hull?" Johns whispers and looks to River.

She decides that she'll play the jealously game as she plays the others and she beams at Johns, nodding slightly as if only for him.

Mentally Riddick tries to break down the gorram door.

The sound of clicking claws echoes eerily and Kaylee pulls Jack closer to her, glancing down she whispers quietly, just for Jack, "I got you little cub. Stick with me, I won't let anything happen to you. And Zoe and Riv are our failsafe backup. Strong, brave girl, stick with me."

Jack smiles and nods, burrowing closer to Kaylee and enjoying the knowledge that she isn't alone, that her pack-she has a pack!-are there for her.

The claws scuttle across the wall and River stands protectively in front of her girls as the others crowd closer.

_'Closer to the danger, real smart.' _The beast stands at attention, claws out and teeth barred as she growls low in her throat. A warning and dare for the creatures to try and cross into her territory.

"Come on Johns, you got the big gauge." Riddick speaks nonchalantly but the whispers growl to push the man against a wall and gut him for the spike in his smell when his girl had smiled for him.

"I'd rather piss glass. Why don't you go?" Riddick doesn't bother glancing at him and opens his mouth to give a smug reply when Paris speaks in a rush.

"I'm not staying here for one more second!" he bolts toward the locked doors and, coincidently, River and her pack.

"Hey! Where do you think you're goin'?" Johns reaches and grabs air, then swings his big gauge up at the man.

River moves in a blur, in front of Paris in the time it takes him to raise one foot halfway from the floor. She holds a shiv to his jugular and presses her body tightly to his.

"Move and knick your jugular. Puddle on the floor, stain on the carpet. Creatures will take care of a cooling corpse. Try us."

Paris pales and acts to move back but River's arm is wound around his shoulders and she smiles, "You do not truly know what is out there. If you did you would not try such foolery."

Paris splutters, "I know what's in here! Crawling creatures and crazy little girls with sharp toys!"

Growls vibrate in the storage cell. From Riddick, Jack, and River. River leans into Paris' face and Riddick glares at how close she is to him, "We are not crazy. If we were to kill you it would be quicker than what the creatures would do. Years of hunger. Desperate. Won't waste a drop, but won't waste time killing you quickly. Instinct tells them to keep the heart going so the blood will splash into their mouths. Know their rules if you want to win the game."

All eyes are on River and the crawling gets worse. "Zoe." Zoe reaches out and River shoves Paris into her waiting grasp. As Paris protests Zoe cocks her gun.

River walks two feet in front of her pack and uses her shiv to try and pry open a storage lid. Slipping it in she feels it give and catches the falling door so the noise is muffled.

"Hurry!" she hisses. Shazza grabs for Imam's children first and leads them into the container with a light for safety. They all pile in and Zoe throws Paris unceremoniously over the threshold. Riddick grabs the tether as he walks in and pulls the doors up, he locks it back in place and turns to rest against the metal. His eyes land on his girl as she watches the others.

"We're all trapped in the smallest space, I hate this!" River blinks as she feels Kaylee begin to get angry.

"We ain't too keen on it either but we ain't yappin' or worse, trying to throw open doors to risk innocent children!" River inches her way between Kaylee and Paris, between her pack and the door.

Riddick watches in amusement before he feels the vibration of movement coming close, the sound of the crawling becoming louder.

"Hold on, I was looking after my own skin!"

Suddenly Kaylee is snarling and pulling Jack close to her as she waves to Hasan and Suleiman, "Children are handling this better than you, ya gorram ruttin' pansy assed self-absorbed fool! You try it again and I'll smile when Riv turns you into their next meal!"

Paris stares at her with wide eyes and Zoe stoically blinks and internally gapes. No one comments as Paris flounders for words or help. He jumps and falls when Riddick spins and a tearing sound fills the room.

A claw impales the wall and River watches the blade miss Riddick by an inch as he rolls and pushes away from it.

The creature cries out desperately and River bends lithely and grabs the cutting torch without looking away from the wall. Johns fires his big gauge as she reaches over quickly to Paris and uses his flame to light her torch. She hands it to Kaylee who immediately cuts into the wall. Kaylee pushes on the completed circle but it barely budges. River eyes the crumbling door and raises her bare foot to kick it. Dancer's muscles move it back but River feels two toes snap. The pain is unimportant.

Kaylee scrambles through the hole with torch and Zoe pushes Jack's head down and helps her through, then repeats the process quickly with Hasan and Suleiman. She glances at River and at her nod crawls through. Shazza passes next and then Fry. River glares at Paris and snarls, "Ladies first." She grabs his shirt and tosses him through.

River eyes the claw tearing through the wall and licks her lips, stepping toward it only to feel a hand close on her bicep. "Wrong way darlin'." Johns smiles to her as he aims the big gauge at the wall and River sees Riddick next to the hole glowering.

"Trust us?" Johns lets go and River runs the few steps, jumping up in the air and letting the momentum that carries her down bring her shiv through the claw. The claw falls to the floor and the creature outside screeches in pain, and then other screeches fill the air as the blood thirst is partially satiated.

River saunters back with a smug grin and ducks through, feeling two pairs of eyes on her ass and yearning for only one of the owners of said eyes.

* * *

Kaylee keeps cutting through and still noises plague them. Finally they reach a container and River feels a pull. She hears the rustle of a creature and glances at her pack. Weapons of lights and blades and bullets. They can stand to be without her.

"Stay in the light and stick close to the others. We will be right back. Calculations are faulty when we do not know all the rules of the game."

Jack bites her lip but nods and they watch as River steps silently to fade into the shadows.

Riddick smells the scent of his girl weaker than just seconds ago and looks to her pack. She isn't there. His beast claws and tears at the mental door but it doesn't budge and he strides to his girl's pack.

"River."

Zoe stares at him blankly, measuring him in her way and Kaylee purses her lips as she considers Riv flinching as she looked at him earlier and letting him almost get impaled. Jack looks to her superiors first, unwilling to let her alpha down again.

"She shut the door. Not me."

Zoe arches an expressive brow and mutters, "And what did you do to get that door shut?"

Kaylee wrinkles her nose in disgust, "You made her flinch!" she accuses.

Jack gets a look of disapproval and slightly lost hope before she clears her face and buries her head into Kaylee's chest.

Riddick grits his teeth, reminding himself that this was his girl's pack. The whispers taunted him that they were speaking truths.

"Which way?" he growls.

Zoe steps forward and between her pack and Riddick. "Wherever she went, whatever she's doing she can handle herself. And if she went to get away from you ain't no way in hell I'll let you chase and torment her."

Riddick clenches his fists in anger.

* * *

River walks silently and gracefully as lights from the groups she is leaving behind shine sporadically across her back and disappears.

She reaches out and feels the cool metal under her fingers, then freezing she hears a sound of splashing, tearing and chewing. Looking up to her left slowly she rotates as she drops into a crouch and submerges her body in shadows to watch. She hears a swallow and carefully studies the huge raptor leisurely devouring a hatchling.

* * *

Riddick glares at River's pack. "Any of you noticed her propensity for heroics?"

Kaylee grins slightly, "Our River is a special one like that. Not only 'cause she tries but 'cause she succeeds. Especially when others have failed. Makes her all sorts of happy to win."

Zoe smirks a deadly smirk that rivals Riddick's, "She always wins. Even when someone thinks they've got her. She waits to get them in the end. "

Jack smiles as Riddick works his fists and guesses at Kaylee's and Zoe's reasons for their firm decision. She can't help but wonder if Riddick knows he's being mind fucked.

Riddick growls low. _'Leave civilly and scent her.' _He doesn't stop to think over the whisper's words but follows them instantly.

* * *

Johns glances at the loitering group, "Come on, keep moving."

Kaylee glances at Zoe, "Riv said…"

Zoe nods and gives Johns a blank look, "River recommended we stay here and keep the light in a close area."

Johns takes in the missing status of the girl and curses, "Where'd she go?"

Jack groans at the repetition.

* * *

Imam joins in the argument between all of the others and loses focus on his two apprentices. Suleiman shifts closer to the light as he watches the hole they'd crawled through. Hasan looks at towards the darkness and sees a faint glow. Curious, he walks toward it, never noticing the slipping from light to dark.

* * *

"We must move forward! If not for your girl than for Hasan!"

Kaylee deflates her resolve to listen to River at news one of the children wasn't safe. She pulls Jack closer to her and looks up at Zoe. Zoe clenches her jaw unnoticeably and nods, looking at Imam, "If you lead I'll go in back and Kaylee will be in the middle with Jack and Suleiman. As you saw, she ain't like to let anyone or anything hurt a child."

Imam nods and the group cautiously and slowly move forward.

* * *

Riddick smells his girl's scent become heavier and stops, looking for her. He hears the sound of swallowing and without looking he steps into the shadows. A hand on his leg makes him tense but he smells his girl so he slowly looks down.

He doesn't speak and neither does she but he knows what's happening. He reaches down and she narrows her eyes slightly before removing her hand from his leg and rising from her crouch without his help.

Riddick growls in his head and wishes the damn door would disintegrate.

* * *

Hasan creeps forward to the last place he had seen the glowing. It had disappeared and now he searched it out. As he looks around he jumps and gasps as a splatter makes itself know at his feet. He stares at the mangled body of a creature and looks up slowly to sees a hulking creature crouched and looking back at him.


	18. Chapter 18

**Ah, the weekend is over. Back to work then, here is another chapter for viewing pleasure and addiction satiation. Enjoy!**

**Reviews:**

**Sxevlbtch- Thank you! Johns and Riddick fighting over River? Sounds simple enough to predict until one factors River's air for dramatics and very animalistic need to be the one in control. Hope I whetted your appetite for more to come!**

**Rachet- Yay! Hoping to update once a day during the week and then give it a rest for the weekend. Thanks!**

**Annie- Haha, yes, computers are definitely that way indeed! Just what this story needs, a crazy Riddick (crazier?) who hates doors!**

**Elizabeth Cords- It is good, isn't it? Funny and maddening! Thank you! Shazza...hm, I still don't know who exactly I'll save but even if I'm letting a death pass doesn't mean I won't replace it with something worse. The scene with Jack just wouldn't go away so I replaced Shazza's death as an expulsion attempt. **

**Stranded- Glad you enjoy the save. Of course, progression without death is pointless so who know where it'll go! Jack...hope my message was helpful in clearing that up and that I didn't sound completely daft! (I do sometimes, really.) Always listen...yes, something River would completely support, I'm sure! Yes, weekends are the time of rest for posting and the time of otherwise put off activities. Cliffhangers...at least you get your answer now, right? **

**White-Dragon-of-Hope- I don't see any other way for Riddick and River to be! Head butting is mandatory! Yes, Jack is the little one to all! Riddick is very complex but his weakness (if I can call it that? maybe quirk...strength?) is children, or those he lets close enough to be friends. Carrying Jack was kind of a fluff moment that I indulged. And...updating! Yay!**

**Elliesmeow- Yes, the age old addiction of knowing someone's mind. Definite play of the dependency later, it's too tempting. With River, there's few things he can't help liking. Having her in his head (especially petting his beast) he likes a lot. Having her lock himself in his own head...not so much.**

**Raven- Yay! Of course I'm coming back (says the girl who left for who know how long...) I just did the whole, weekend break thing. Never fear, I'm addicted (I like the addiction concept, can anyone tell?) to writing this story and I'm only updating this story and ignoring my others. **

**So...here we are. Enjoy!  
**

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* * *

**River shifts out of the shadows toward Hasan and slowly reaches for the panicking boy. Riddick grabs her wrists and emerges as well, rumbling to distract the boy, "Extremely bad timing."

Hasan stares in fear at the man and woman and they both clearly read the begging for help in his eyes.

The creature breathes deep heaving breaths and studies the trio.

The survivors follow Johns as he points the big gauge. They strain to listen when they hear the sound of breathing and they look around for any source.

Riddick stares back at the creature, carefully grasping River's wrists in his hand.

"Just don't run." he murmurs to the panting boy.

Kaylee looks around and calls out, "Riddick?"

On the other side of the wall River answers evenly, "Don't stop burning."

"River!" Johns hisses and points his light toward the wall.

Kaylee glances to Zoe, handing off the protection of the children to her as she runs forward and falls to her knees, cutting away at the wall that separates her from the others.

"Johns, Zoe, be ready." Kaylee mutters and hears the cocking of guns as an answer.

Hasan stares open mouthed and River clenches her jaw, glaring at Riddick and calculating.

The wall to the trio's backs trembles and they each look up slowly to see another creature crawling toward them.

River feels Hasan's fear spike and Riddick hears his heart thundering. The beasts take in the sound of blood rushing through the kid.

The creature opens a claw and lets out a longer extension of a sharp claw. Riddick shifts back into the shadows, pushing River with him physically.

"Hasan!" Imam calls out and the boy looks away, and then looks back in time to see the extended claw flash toward his face.

Hasan takes off running but River bolts as well, feeling the creature Hasan approaches.

Riddick curses low and watches, teeth clenched painfully tight as two creatures surround him but see only two backs running.

River reaches Hasan just before the creature strikes and she pulls him to the side, waving a bloody rapped arm and then feinted away from the strike and twirling past the creatures desperate leaps for her.

River pushes Hasan past and he runs for it, tripping and smacking the floor hard.

As he hits the floor it pulls the other two raptors from their daze and they fly off after him.

Riddick growls viscously and charges, shivs drawn. River twirls until she is under the desperate creature. It still shoots its claw around furiously for her and she presses right up to its stomach.

River pulls her arm away as the creature's own claw impales its stomach. River runs forward and crouches low to the ground, snatching at the boy's arm and trying to pull him up.

Riddick sees the creatures closing in on River as she tries to save Hasan and he makes a decision. Ripping past the impending creatures her grabs for Hasan's arms and feints for River's instead. He pulls and she fights him, not releasing the boy who prays to Allah.

"No!" River gasps as she feels the impalement through Hasan's legs, dragging him from her and she can't cut his spine and she loses her grip and knows his death won't be quick.

Riddick pulls harshly on River and runs, one creature still after them. He quickly runs, River running as she gasps and makes noises that she shouldn't be making.

They round the corner and the survivors turn to them, surprise on their faces and lights held straight in front of them.

"Fuck!" Riddick feels the intense pain of the light, roars and grabs to cover his eyes, he drops to the ground and pulls River with him, rolling her underneath him and she just lays there.

The creature flies over them and screams echo as lights shine frantically and shots ring out randomly. Zoe stands closest with the children so she quickly takes aim and shoots three rounds. Two in the stomach and one in the head. The creature rips back to fly straight up before it drops to the ground with a thud and chatter fills the air.

Riddick props himself on his elbows as he stares down at River. She has her eyes wide open but she isn't with him. She's with death now. River swallows a scream as Riddick faintly hears a sobbing from the direction they'd come.

"River," he whispers. Beneath him River can't close the gates and she feels the tearing and pain from Hasan and the pleasure from the creatures. Moisture builds in her eyes and spills over as she fights to stay in her hell alone. She won't leave Hasan until he's gone.

Riddick watches the tears spill and almost reverently wipes them away.

River takes a shuddering breath and feels it become the last one Hasan will breathe. She blinks and slams her mind shut as she locks the feelings of what she's just felt away with other dark things she didn't like having to keep.

River focuses her eyes on Riddick and he watches with an almost blank face, concern pinches the corners of his lips and River just looks at him blankly.

"Hasan?" Imam asks tentatively as he gets closer to them. River looks away from Riddick and her face shuts down into stone. She pushes Riddick off of her and rolls to her feet, looking into the face of the father figure to the boy. At her look Imam swallows hard and nods, blinking back tears.

River clenches her fists and whispers, "We could not save him. But he did not die alone."

Imam smiles slightly and nods, "For that mercy, I thank you."

River watches him turn away before glancing at Riddick with eyes that nearly glow in their anger.

The group crowds around the body of the raptor, examining it with the lights.

"It's like the light is scalding it." Paris murmurs over Fry's shoulder.

Zoe and Kaylee stand with Imam, Suleiman and Jack over in a circle of light. Shazza stands with Paris, Fry, and Johns, examining the creature that had taken her husband. Riddick approaches the group around the creature, curious. River stands watching them all as she works on her control.

"Light actually hurts them." Fry leans closer and then all four jump back when its claw twitches.

Sounds of other creatures drift into the air and Fry shoots her light around towards it. Suleiman looks hopefully in the direction, "Is that Hasan?" he calls and Imam steps toward him to explain.

Johns turns his back and mutters with no scrap of respect, "We'll burn a candle for him later, come on."

Imam stares at the man's back and Suleiman's face falls. River glares at the back of the man and a feral growl rumbles from her. Johns glances over his shoulder and freezes to watch her, lust burning in his eyes with the smallest tinge of regret. Kaylee rushes over to River and grasps her hands, "Riv, ya okay?"

River looks away from Johns and meets Kaylee's eyes and nods, "We will not fail our pack."

Riddick watches his girl avoid his gaze as she watches her feet and walks to her pack. She protectively lays her hands on Jack's shoulders and follows after Johns.

Riddick pounds at the door nonstop and tries to get River back into his mind. River feels the pounding but ignores it, ignores him. She thinks of what Riddick would have done if Jack had been the one with them. Or Kaylee. River can feel her girls' grief over the smiley young boy. Even Zoe had grown protective.

Without warning River opens the mental door.

'_We could have saved him! We had the situation handled! If you were only worried for yourself then you should have run ahead by yourself! We could have saved him and been fine! Would you have done the same thing if one of our girls had been in his place?'_

The shouting in his head surprises Riddick. He works his jaw as he listens to her angry voice and smells her anger over everything else. Her scent is laced with grief and pain, salty blue-grey water and smoldering aspen roots.

'_River-'_

'_No!'_ River slams the door and Riddick snarls to himself, once again pounding and tearing at the door.

Without warning or conscious thought he takes large strides to River and grabs her wrist, spinning her to face him.

River faces him in the dark and glares dangerously.

Riddick glares back, lowering his face level to hers he doesn't blink. Staring into her eyes he mentally steps away from the door and very simply, opens another.

"When all the doors are shut find a window." River murmurs. She swallows hard and meets his eyes as his beast presses into her mind.

'_Don't 'what if' me. What's done is done. Going back, the only thing I'd change is slitting his throat first.'_

River rips away from him and turns back toward the next container. _'Then we guess you win one game-you're colder of heart than us. While you would kill them and leave them as a meal we would die for them. Do not stand in our way again.'_

Riddick watches her walk away and his beast and man speak as one, _'You don't 'xactly leave room to stand beside you.'_

River falters in her steps before continuing, silence echoing in Riddick's head but it's okay because her presence is there and that's enough. For now, that's enough.


	19. Chapter 19

**Ah, update! **

**Reviews:**

**Forestreject- Hi, I've looked back at my reviews and I was horrified to see I had missed replying to your review! Thank you so much for reviewing! And yes, Big Bad shares that sentiment! The games and the points, makes you wonder who will win. Big Bad or his killer woman? (I'm curious, the muses won't tell me!)**

**Sxevlbtch- River and control issues...who didn't see that coming? Girl spent years in a place where her control was stripped away! And prior to that she was in a house where she probably had much of the same and after she gets caged into a ship where she gets told what to do, how to do it and why to do it by her brother and her crew. So yes, I can see her having control issues in many, many ways and who better than to challenge them than Riddick? Of course, he'll also be great at dismantling them, protecting them, supporting them, explaining them! Needless to say I love the idea of those two and control issues. Thanks!**

**ArtLightLove- Your welcome! The intensity really didn't strike me until I read it again! Thanks for reviewing!**

**Hana-It's more than true! (I don't know how that's possible but it's happening!) Riddick's not the only one at fault and River's the only one faultless. They're both falling into both categories in different ways or different times. I'm glad you enjoy and please enjoy!**

**Serenitie1- That last phrase...I kept going back and forth over whether or not Riddick would say such a thing and it finally made it in after several tries of tossing it onto the cutting room floor. How it made River feel? Won't that be interesting! Thanks!**

**Annie- As I type this I feel a sense of deja vu-there can be no good progression without death. Hasan had to die. It was mandatory. And Since it was a child it hit them harder and also bonded them more (IMHO). I really want River to be hard on Riddick, to seem that way at least, because every time I've seen her in a fic with Riddick most everyone makes her so she gives in and readily accepts Riddick. I want her to be strong and to give Riddick a serious run for his money (shivs, life...)**

**Elliesmeow- Okay. Yup, pack has to come first. Exactly! She's almost always stood with someone so she expects him to be able to fall in with others quickly. He's never been with anyone so being alone is one of his arts, and he expects her to be able to do that. Change...I dare say neither will change for the other because they expect the other to make the effort. River at his level...the man isn't really fighting the sentiment but his opinion is clouded toward River with pure lust. And the beast doesn't care about the woman side but the beast side of River? Definitely wants to protect her because he sees himself as the alpha and wants to assert himself over everyone else when it comes to what's his. Ha, yes, such a simple solution! Thank you so much for the review! **

**SusanMarieS- Ah, I'm sorry I made you cry but I hope it was in a good way! Saving them all is impossible but River and I will do our best to prevent tears! Thank you so much for the review! Hope the tissues are not needed again!  
**

**So then...sorry it's taken so long but I've been nursing a migraine.** **I've obviously rambled on at a good clip and I need to stop but I just hope everyone enjoys this update and that...uh, I forgot what I was going to say...type...**

* * *

They sit with the cutting torch on a leather chest in the middle of their circle as they variously lounge in a smaller storage cell within the storage cell. Damn thing was a maze of rooms and scattered belongings.

The hole that they'd cut open is carefully resealed, still no one sits too close to it. Especially Riddick, having learned better. River may not want him dead but she didn't seem too adverted to wounded. Hell, after his last jab maybe she wanted to see him dead too.

"We got one cutting torch, got two hand lights." Fry looks around as she says this. Hope shines slightly in her eyes and the slight crease in her brow show she's thinking.

"There's gotta be somthin' we can get outta the HG. I mean, when we was grabbing the other stuff…there's gotta be somthin'." Kaylee smiles and nods knowingly to everyone, all confidence and calm and happiness.

"Spirits. Anything over forty five proof burns rather well." Paris voice doesn't tremble much and River knows it's because he gets to jitter about as he fans himself.

"How many?" Kaylee and Fry ask at the same moment.

"I don't know, maybe ten." Making amends by offering his things, River wonders if it'll help the slight guilt.

She looks around the room and counts off the people.

One. Johns sits diagonal to her and her pack.  
Two. Shazza sits next to Johns.  
Three. The pack-Zoe on the outside followed by Kaylee and Jack pressed to River's side.  
Four. Fry sits next to River.  
Five. Riddick sits diagonal to River and her pack, across from Johns.  
Six. Imam across from Shazza.  
Seven. Paris-tail between his legs tucked between six and eight selfishly.  
Eight. Suleiman glaring at Johns and looking between the cutting torch and Imam.

Is Fry really crazy enough to suggest what River knows needs to be suggested? A peek into her mind makes River frown and bite her tongue.

"Okay, so, we have light. Surely this will end soon or the creatures will all give up. We can wait it out."

Relieved sighs fill the chamber and River snorts as Johns frowns.

"Riv told us before that this ain't gonna end for over twenty some odd weeks."

Fry bites her lips and looks searchingly into River's face as River looks first over at Johns with a slight smile and then to Fry. Riddick clenches his fist at the exchange, Johns would be the type to try and play his River like he cares or listens.

River feels Fry's hope but shakes her head and scoots forward, Jack almost flopping to where her body had been before she leans instead on Kaylee. "The creatures wait twenty two years in sleep to awake and become the grim. They shall not tire and leave the prospect of food alone. What you all are hoping for will not happen."

River hears the voices warring in Fry's head that is full of crumbling and wonders if she should offer some mental help. After all, she was considered crazy and treated as such for years.

Snapping back into focus River looks at Johns, "You have some flares?" Johns nods with a curious smirk as his eyes lock to hers and River smiles. A growl sounds in her head and she resists the urge to look at Riddick.

"Well then, we have eleven people. Ten Spirits, one torch, two hand lights, some flares and anything else we can get to burn. We calculate it will be enough."

Johns frowns slightly and tilts his head, "Whoa there darlin' enough for fucking what?"

River levels him a look and giggles, "We were all in for the plan. Nothing should change. Light was to move forward in the light. Light should move forward in the dark."

Johns clenches his jaw and River sees him working to control his anger.

_'This something you've planned?'_

River looks over at Riddick and then back to Johns quickly, _'Something we have calculated. You know how to open and close your mind now. Will not offend us if you use it.'_

_'Almost got speared when you weren't in my head before.'_

_'Ah, yes, look to thine own ass first, right?'_ River doesn't realize she's mentally snarling.

_'Quoting Johns?'_ Riddick growls low.

_'If the shoe fits.'_

_'That thing with Zeke? How's that any different than Hasan?'_

River feels her muscles tensing, _'We made him unfeeling. It was before we had resolved to save all that we can. The difference is caring!'_

_'Personally I think you expect too much.'_

_'Yeah, let's just agree we won't expect shit from you any more, okay? That better?'_

"River," River looks at Johns, snapped from her mental conversing with Riddick, "in all seriousness, what are you getting at?" Johns searches her eyes and River leans forward, looking around at all of the group as she does so.

"We get the four cells. Get them back to the skiff. Off this planet and soaring free."

Fry bites her lip, "We won't be able to find our ass in that dark. Sandcat's solar. How do we get the cells?" despite the slight doubt there is also hope in her voice. Hope that she'll cling to.

"Carry them." Zoe offers surely.

"Drag them." Shazza adds.

"What ever it takes." Fry smiles as she speaks and the hope that was a faint smoldering spark roars into a blaze of licking flames.

"I'd hate to disrupt this hope stroking, beautiful theory with an ugly truth but you, and your pack as far as I'm concerned, are insane. Others are grieving. Or scared. Or killers who would leave us behind. Not exactly warming the heart to the idea of going into the dark with the lot."

Johns glares at Paris, and River tilts her head at the rumbling from Riddick.

"Yeah, like it or not we're all in this little psycho-fuck family now. It is not one looking to their ass and only theirs. It is a unit working together. If someone's only willing to look to themselves then that will only to see them dying alone in the dark." She pauses and shifts forward more, glaring slightly, "Paris…our pack is not crazy. We are not crazy. Unique. Able to do what must be done."

"Like going out there with those things?" he hisses.

_'Being alone doesn't mean dying alone.'_ Riddick speaks in her mind as she listens to Paris.

Jack glances at River, "That's the part as gots me. Those horrible things are out there."

River nods and strokes Jack's head. "Look, she's right! We all know what happened to them as took the option of waiting it out. Locked in the coring room. We don't have any option but the one she's giving." Fry gestures animatedly as she speaks.

Paris shakes his head, "That's all grand and fair but we need to think about everyone here, what about the kids? Those boys out there? You'd all do that?"

"Don't." River snarls.

Paris waves to Jack, "You own boy there, how scared would he be?"

"Don't!" River bolts to her feet and glares at Paris. "Just because you are sixty five kilos of gutless white meat does not give you any reason to hide behind children! Children you would have sacrificed before? Forget it!"

Paris jumps to his feet, spluttering angrily. Johns, Riddick and Zoe are on their feet instantly. Johns' and Zoe's weapons aimed at Paris as Riddick holds his shivs and shifts in front of River. Kaylee grabs Jack and rolls so she covers the girl from any fighting.

River looks at the people protecting her and then a feral smile takes her face, lithely jumping over the cutting torch and leather chest she grabs Paris' shirt front and presses him back into the wall.

"Let's say we relieve the others and we play a little game. Come on Paris, it'll be painless. We swear."

Paris pales and nearly faints. River scoffs and throws him down. She smiles to Suleiman and flicks her eyes to Imam. Without hesitation the boy stands and goes to his father figure. Paris scoots closer to Johns and River smiles to the merc as he lowers the big gauge and smirks to her. Approval rolls from the whole group, marred slightly by Paris' fear and Riddick's possessiveness.

"Look at us working together! The fighting solves nothing but the cooperation can redeem us!" Imam smiles as he speaks.

River turns and looks to Riddick and Zoe, she glides past Johns on her way back to her pack and feels his eyes track her to her seat.

_'Do not need a shield.'_

Riddick chuckles into her mind, a tight chuckle that tries to mask his steady anger, _'So determined to fight your own battles all the time. That'd be great if you weren't also set on fighting other's battles too. This little psycho-fuck family we got here is wrapped around you pretty little finger.'_

_'While we thank you we also warn you again-getting our pack and as many others as we can off this planet is our mission. No power stops us from our missions.'_

Riddick just chuckles into her mind again and she wonders why she keeps playing games with the feral man. A smile tries to take her lips at the thoughts but she wipes her expression clean.


	20. Chapter 20

**Update!...more tomorrow if I can write it quick enough!**

**Reviews:**

**Annie- Thank you, thank you, thank you! Glad you like!**

**NightStar28- Camping? I love camping...having been camping with tents in so long but went on a vacation in a cabin and had a blast a few weeks ago! Hope you had lots of fun! Thank you so much, that means a lot! Looking back I realize the lag in posting made Zoe's and Kaylee's absence more pronounced and I shall take your advice to heart! I'm glad you like the story and the pairing and truly appreciate the review!**

**Messages:**

**Liz- Hi! Yes, it's been too long since the usage! I kind of forgot about it to be honest! Psycho-fuck family is in here...and to help: Dong ma? Hun dan! Go se! Feng le!  
Thanks for messaging and all. Xie xie! (I appreciate you being privacy conscious!)

* * *

**Imam sat holding his nearly-adopted-son under one arm and the both of them sat with huge smiles taking their faces at the prospect of redemption.

Everyone sat quietly, all weighing the odds and thinking carefully on how this would go. No one was moving, just sitting like dead weight locked in their own thoughts. River locked in all of the thoughts so she could gauge reactions. Finally the frantic thinking rallied the beast and the woman and she stands and starts moving about to release pent up energy. She fusses with the gear they have and turns down the lighting torch before drawing one weapon after another and carefully checking it over.

"And you are sure you can get us there?" It was the first time Suleiman spoke to anyone but Imam and it caused a smile for River at hearing his thoughts half in Arabic and half in English.

He fires off in rapid Arabic and Imam translates, "Even in the great darkness?"

River smiles, "No. Calculations say that if we alone try to get everyone back to the skiff in this darkness we have a margin of nearly twelve percent error. Meaning we have a success percentile of eighty eight."

Everyone's quite as they frantically think. Riddick's thoughts are the only ones moving slow and stealthy.

'_If you try alone…we're all waiting for the next 'if'-seems real fond of those.'_

River sighs and looks at him, _'We have been trying to get you to work with everyone because it was always going to end like this. Qi, work with us.'_

'_Wanna say that again?'_

River growls low in her mind and swallows a mouthful of pride and obscenities, _'Qi. Please Riddick. Please help this feng dian cao jia ren. Help us.'_

Riddick smirks and tilts his head, _'Help us? Do you mean the psycho fuck family or your pack?'_

River clenches her teeth as she beats down the curses choking her throat and trying to snarl out. _'Us. Help the beast. Help the woman. Help River. Zan wo.'_

Riddick smiles, a flash of white teeth and seeing the smile Zoe isn't sure the look of happiness and triumph is something that fits his features because it looks darker and dangerous and not all together pleasant. River thinks it makes her insides quiver a bit and she decides she doesn't like quivering. So she glowers.

'_Help you? You-in the sense of non plural? Baby girl, I didn't think you had it in you.'_

River squares her shoulders, _'We have told you to stop underestimating us. No power in the 'Verse we said. Even you. We meant it!'_

"But Riddick can get us all to 'skiff-city' with a success rate of ninety seven percent. Meaning if we work together we are at a rate of one hundred eighty five percentage. If the Riddick will assist us by taking front point we can take the rear and protect."

Paris scoffs, "Like he'll help us? Or you'll protect us?"

River smiles and looks over at Riddick. He rumbles, "I'll help. Got asked nicely, can't turn down such a moving proposition so…I'll lead the way."

Johns sneers at him, "And leave us behind a feed?"

River smiles and laughs, the sound like a chiming of bells that soothes nerves like a balm, "We shall stay in his mind in order to communicate and help aid in keeping safe. The only kind who are not in sync with the plans are nothing more than…expendable to us."

Johns looks over at Paris as River stares at him. He shifts and gulps audibly, "Right then. I'm in!"

Riddick chuckles and Jack looks around timidly, "Mu hou and jia zhu…"

River smiles and nods, "For now, yes."

'_Head of the family…suits you. Recognize alpha tendencies while acknowledging position in relation to others.'_

Riddick smiles again and River mirrors his expression, pushing everything that isn't planning to get her current family safely through the blackness that bled danger and to the blackness that shines starlight.


	21. Chapter 21

**Hola! So, another update. Posting tomorrow-not sure how many yet, undecided-and then refraining from posting during the weekend. Just giving a warning so no one thinks I've left again (I feel bad about the long absence before. Sorry.)**

**The Chinese phrases are back, mostly thanks to Liz for making me remember the roots of Firefly. (Thanks Liz!) I am not having a note translating anything but I try to have it in the text. If any phrase is unclear then PM me or leave a review asking for translation. **

**Speaking of reviews...**

**Annie- Next chapter, up! Bam! Thanks for reviewing and I hope you enjoy!  
**

**Hana- Ah, yes, unification-Mal would be so fond of the idea! Thanks for reviewing!  
**

**Solaira- Yes, I seem to be getting everyone for that whole vacation thing! Thank you so much, I hope those hours of reading were enjoyable! The characters are just running away on me, they have taken up residence in my room-like the space in my head wasn't good enough! (Perfectly good head space, I say!) Shazza had to live, I saw too much promise in her character. She could have gone so far if it weren't for that whole chewed in half thing. Paris...yeah, I may have to kill him soon. Annoying pest of a whelp! Interaction for River and Riddick...could be fighting, shivs, blood, sex, laughter...or all of it. I'm not sure when they'll realize the truth but until then, it'll be a fun ride! Thanks so much!  
**

**NightStar28- Whoa, that certainly sounds fantastic! I'll have to check my mirror but I think my eyes just turned a little greener! Rude? Nope. Nope. Nuh-uhn! I viewed it as very helpful and I appreciated it immensely! I think '****Letting the story tell it's self without any unnecessary limits.' is some of the best advice I've had the pleasure of receiving and I've taken it to heart. Currently trying to stop listening to those little fretting voices and instead listen to the muses' lovely voices. Odd? You? Well then, you've found the right person to talk to, about as odd as you can get on this end. I'm glad to hear your muses are speaking again and wish you luck on your story. So glad you liked the last line, River was adamant it be said. Thanks!**

**Stranded- Haha, I'm glad to give you something entertaining on your break. Missing reviews-yet another piece of evidence for computers eating things, making them disappear. I'm just bouncing in my seat at the prospect of writing the River Riddick fight! So good! Oooh, if you make the video please post the link or something? River/Riddick videos and stories are few and far between. Glad to inspire! I was looking for River/Riddick pairing stories and toying with the idea of just writing my own when the muses took the choice away and ran with it. Mal is coming into this in a way I'd never have imagined-and that's all I'll say on that matter. I'm playing with continuing this story to Chronicles. I want to write of the time on the skiff but I'll have to know for sure what happened in Dark Athena (I could just go with the little I know, not sure yet) and from there I do plan on continuing. Possible Chronicles but maybe not, either way more will come. I'm so flattered, thank you so much! That is actually a good chunk of my fear for involving Chronicles-could I get it right? Don't worry about the reviews, I'm just glad you're enjoying the chapters and thank you so much for your kind words!**

**ArtLightLove- Completely agree with you. Still, both River and Riddick still have a ways to go with the whole partnership thing. River needs to realize what Riddick is like just as much as he needs to realize what River is like. Both of them are so used to their ways and are so stubborn! Easy to think that both were pushed around for a good chunk of time by many and now, well, they can't help pushing each other for the pleasure of being pushed back or catching the other. Thanks!**

**Diclaimer: Been so long since I've thrown one of these in. Honestly, if I owned Pitch Black or Firefly then I'd be making a movie with River and Riddick as our badass dark duo! No way I'd be sitting here withholding the goodies! And if anyone thinks I make profit from this-you're right! Not cashy money profit but happiness and playing with the muses! **

**

* * *

**"Stay close."

The group huddles together, no caring for personal space when space means darkness and darkness means raptors and raptors mean death. Many care for little else outside of the area of surviving.

Of the few, only River's pack care for more than their own pi gus.

Riddick doesn't so much care for River as he sees her as a belonging, his getting out is relative to her fighting beside him. River doesn't count that as caring.

Shazza cares for the children getting to safety, she looks at them and sees what she should have had with Zeke-could have had if they'd settled. She could have settled and never got on the HG, instead raising a brood of kids with her husband still. She cares for Zoe and Kaylee and even feng le jen duh sh tyen tsai River.

Imam cares for them all, they are all together-sheep lost in a land of wolves. But he knows his God will guide them, indeed has sent the tools they need to survive-all wrapped in the presents of River and Riddick. Killers. Psychos. Animals. Still, he can't help but thank his lord for them.

River closes her mind from all but her pack, letting her beast stay in Riddick's head as she lets her feet attach her to the pulsing of the creatures. She knows she cares for them all. She has them grouped. Nonnegotiable expenditure-Kaylee, Zoe, Jack. Negotiable expenditure- Paris, Fry, Johns. Gray area-Suleiman, Imam, Shazza, Riddick, River. She won't let anything befall group one. Group two is a bit more tetchy, grating her nerves or making her rethink all her concerns for them. Group three is what's tripping her up. Maybe she'll save them before group two. Maybe not. She places even herself in group three-if the others are fine then she is only a tool to a means of survival.

River watches from the back as she holds a hand light and the group is protected by Johns' light and Zoe wielding the other hand light. Fry steps up to a tunnel of darkness and glances back, "Riddick!"

River smiles, she can sense the creature up ahead, concealed in the dark. _'Heard the plan. Not nice. Funny, but not nice.'_

'_Never said I was nice wa.'_

River snarls, she is neither his baby nor his doll. Baby means she is his and doll means she is a toy. She will not concede to being either.

'_Ain't seein' you as a toy baby, no call to get angry.'_

Riddick steps up and lifts his goggles with a small smirk, looking through to see debris scattered about. Tubing hangs in mass array. A smirk tries to show as he sees a raptor hanging inverted from a steel pipe.

"Looks clear."

Johns, fear spiking at being still too long rushes forward. Riddick pulls his goggles down as Johns passes him. River stands still, signaling her pack to keep still and wait. As Johns makes it one-two-three steps past Riddick the raptor releases its hold on the pipe and spin dives out, screeching for direction as much as for warning.

Immediately Johns pulls back, spinning and hitting the dirt. Everyone falls into a crouch and River listens, knowing the raptor is too frightened at having been awoken so quickly with light to try to feast.

"You said clear!"

Riddick looks at Johns from his position in the dirt, "I said looks clear."

Johns heaves a breath and grits out, "Well, what's it look like now?"

Riddick lifts his head and peers up for two seconds before looking to Johns, "Looks clear."

Johns growls and River giggles, eyes flying to her, "The hellhound is not to be second guessed by any but the panther. Looks clear. Is clear. Dong ma?"

River glances at their backs and hands Kaylee her light before sprinting forward, jumping over Riddick and Johns and into the dark. She waits until the voices are worried and then jumps down from her place perched on the newly vacated steel pipe. Johns almost shoots her but she ducks under his barrel and closer to him, almost touching him chest to chest. Johns smiles apologetically at her as his eyes light up a bit in arousal.

'_Men. So easy.'_ River smiles wider at her beast's words.

"Keep. Moving."

Riddick looms behind her with clenched fists and she turns from Johns, flitting to her position at the back with a wink to Riddick.

* * *

They move hastily, grabbing the Spirits and the lighted wiring from the crash remains. Kaylee and Shazza work with Fry to hook the lighting to a portable generator. Riddick, Johns, Suleiman and Imam haul the power cells. Zoe breaks a cryo-chamber door away for a new sled. They all work as a unit, pulling out anything that might burn and tossing it onto the sled. River looks over everything, making sure it's right and useful-there is no need for the frivolous-she slides two packs onto the sled, knowing they'll be needed in the skiff.

* * *

Work done, the group gathers around their sled, River still proportioning weight and tying the rope securely at the best areas for least resistance.

"I'll be running at about ten paces ahead. I want light on my back but not in my eyes." He pauses and glances over River's pack, over her cub with unwilling worry, "These bad boys know our blood now."

He hears Jack's heartbeat quicken and slightly nods, only seen by the kid.

River, from her place by the sled, glances up at everyone and then smiles wryly, "We suggest everyone do two things before we leave. One-check your body for wounds. Keep a mental note of it and we shall arrange the train in ordinance of most likely target. Two-see yourselves to the head because the smell of blood will get the creatures but the smell of piss will lose the help. We are not going to throw ourselves over a piss soaked body."

At the looks River bites out a laugh and stands, task finished with the sled.

* * *

"I'm risky. You should leave me, if I tell the others you will leave me. But…"

River growls, "We are not leaving you. And if they want to try and leave you we will fight for you. Wo de jiao nu. As ours, you are with us till we cease being."

Jack sniffs and nods, tossing her used sanitary pad away and examining her pants.

"Sanitary conditions of your pants are clean. Old blood, not as appetizing. Also, forgive us but-here," River reaches out and rubs a rag soaked in alcohol over Jack's pants and stomach, then up her arms and over her face, tying it to her belt loop.

"I smell like a dirty alcoholic!"

River smiles, "But not like blood so much anymore."

Jack hugs River but River pushes her away, at her wounded look River leans over and kisses her nose, "Jiao nu, we are bloody."

Jack takes in River's appearance, "Ai ya! We need to clean you up so them things don't-"

River smiles again, "We are shield. Bait. Here, untie this."

Jack gently, with shaking hands unties River's arm wrapping first, then the wrapping for her hand. River looks at her arms, "Sit and do not make a sound."

Jack nods and complies. River palms a shiv and reopens her closed wounds, adding a few on her arms. Jack's eyes bulge but she remains quiet. River motions Jack to her and the girl again complies to bind the wounds again.

"Scent of old blood and new blood will be aphrodisiac to them. Wave our arms and they get close-slick, shiv through the skin."

Jack swallows, "Dian."

River cradles Jack's cheek, "For us. Not for you. Pack will be protected. As will others. We are capable of handling ourselves. Dangerous in relative terms."

Jack nods, and bites her lip, "What about your feet?"

River glances at her feet, covered in dirt and sand and dried blood. Bruising and with a few broken toes.

"Have to feel. Come, we are awaited."

* * *

Riddick inhales deeply. The basic smell of fear permeates the air. Alcohol, gunpowder, sweat, morphine, leather.

Sweet honey, gun powder and lead, hot cinnamon, ash. It's weak. Riddick looks to his girl and immediately tenses. He smells her blood. Heavy. Fresh. Unique.

'_Jen duh sh tyen tsai in the eye of many. So tell me why you just covered yourself in blood?'_

River smiles, _'Proving just how genius we are. The 'absolute genius' of it is that we are meant to protect the others and so we are. Believe we warned you of this before. If you would listen we would not need to reenact.'_

Riddick snarls and glares in her direction before he registers Jack's presence beside her. His face goes blank and he sighs inwardly, _'You're doing it to protect your cub.'_

River's face softens as she looks down at Jack, _'Would do anything to see her safe.'_

'_Die?'_

'_Listen close, last time we say it-we would die for them. Zoe. Kaylee. Jack. Ours. We would rather die protecting them than live having failed them.'_

Riddick waits until her eyes meet his and he nods, acknowledging her words and giving respect. River lets her face mimic Zoe's in mask quality and nods back, accepting and thanking.

* * *

Riddick pushes open the door and looks out, eyes roving over everything.

"Are we actually going to do this?" Paris murmurs wide eyed as screeches fill the air.

"We stay together. We keep the light burning." Fry's voice is dark and River hears the words whir in her head from her recent argument with the still missing Johns. "That's all we gotta do to live through this thing."

River catches her eye and smiles as she turns away. Fry pauses and smiles back, stepping toward her.

"Smile mean I was right?"

River purses her lips and shakes her head, "No. But you were close. We shall have to protect the others as they do as you foretold. That is all. Smile was for you-you are distraught after communing with the jester. The jester does not know how to treat a masked lady."

Fry's lips quirk a bit, "Thanks. I was gonna go get him but I don't think he'll be fond of listening to me. I'll take lookout if you go?"

River giggles, "Yes. And we will take a while, have a word with him on his treatment of masked ladies. Do not take his words to heart. Fragile heart now, too many more wounds and it will crumble. We do not wish to see that but it is also not something we can always prevent. Though we shall try."

Fry smiles and looks river directly in the eyes, "Xie xie jiu she."

River considers moving Fry from negotiable expenditure to gray area. "Salvation. We can try."


	22. Chapter 22

**Hello. I may or may not write and post another chapter today but I'll let everyone rest their eyes over the weekend. For sure posting will resume Monday. **

**Reviews:**

**Sxevlbtch- I want the relationship between River and Riddick to be able to rest at certain stages instead of flashing like grease in a hot pan. They tend to be the type of couple that can handle the flashing from meeting to dynamic duo but I want them to have to go through some stages. Thank so much, I hope that makes sense out of my head!**

**ArtLightLove- Thanks! Thanks! And now to post a shorter chapter...I like being unpredictable. **

**Annie- The pee comment came in and I giggled as I wrote it! Fry is really easy character for me to write because I have this image of her in my head as Fearless Leader Masked Lady. I equate her to comic relief most times. Thanks so much!

* * *

**River waltz into the room without hesitation. Johns smiles a little to see her and she remains stone faced. Her eyes flit over the red shell casing in his hand and then to his falsely charming face. "Ready?"

Johns smiles a bit more and leans his head back slowly, bouncing his left hand as it rests on his knee. After a fashion a rhythm forms and includes soft snapping.

River almost smiles at that.

"Need to talk about things first?"

Johns tenses and River steps closer to him, his mind whirls with words that name her a fallen angel. She sees herself through his mind-dark hair as her halo, pale skin covered in dirt and blood, marred from pure to soiled. He sees her movements as the understated grace they are, calculated movements that will fight back in any of over a hundred ways per previously considered plans. Her face is blank and her eyes are shining, teasing him of the angelic light he'll never have.

River turns away from him and tries to shift through his mind-is this the drug or is he that fucked in the head?

"Fine. We can talk. Fry said things. You said things." She pauses and glances over her shoulder, "What exactly is so valuable in your life that you're worried about loosing? Anything at all? Besides your next spike?"

Johns jolts to his feet and strides two steps toward River, grabbing her arm and spinning her to face him in his rage.

River smiles now, one hand sliding her shiv from her thigh to his while her other cradles his cheek.

"Hush now jester, quoting the makes lady-never said we shared her sentiments." River slides the shiv up higher and taps his crotch, Johns glances down with anger filled eyes and takes in the weapon on his johns. No, he couldn't lose that. "Breathe. Slowly. Listen closely."

Johns blinks and River watches the anger fade. She steps back, sliding her shiv and her hand away.

"The masked lady is masked to hide her breaking. Jesters with cruel tongues and silent words should know better than to use them in a dance. As he does not the panther will warn him to keep a civil tongue in his mouth lest we cut it out."

Johns smiles a twisted smile, maybe that was why the fallen angel was exiled?

River steps toward the door on light feet and then turns, "Oh, and you questioned the motives of the hellhound. That…we are not your only partner now. Everyone is banded together sha zi. Do not make us choose between partners by throwing out fighting words. Maybe we won't kill you should the moment come-but the hellhound will, and if choosing between the jester or the broken butterfly or lost lambs we would have to cause you due harm to see the situation ended. Ken he, ci ni wang."

Johns tilts his head as she exits and the twisted smile stays, if slightly dimmer it's still there. "Ready or not, here we go. Damned if I could have said it better or been more eloquent little hellhound."

* * *

The group saddles up, lights draped on bodies and ropes laid out for mules. River lights the bottles as the others wait, prolonging the life of the Spirits-an entertaining phrasing to Suleiman as he prays for spirit guides to assist the demigoddess River.

"Fry, Zoe, Shazza," River hands them a form of light and they move with her to jump out of the relatively safe wreckage and stand guard. The men lift the sled out and set it on the ground. River is confident in Kaylee protecting the children. While she was never a fighter before she also never had children to fight for before. Seeing Kaylee gripping a moderated pistol makes River happy.

The group falls back into formation as River appointed it. They all look at one another, a silent camaraderie of _'hey, try not to die and neither will I'_ in the air.

River smiles wide from the back, shivs in her hands with lights wrapped around her, "Welcome to the game!" she draws all attention with her confident words and her group of more or less family varies from smiling at her to avoiding her gaze. Raising her face toward the sky River sighs out, "Let's play!" Her words make every heart beat faster, make new bouts of adrenaline rush through veins. Good, she won't fight for someone unwilling to even attempt flight for themselves.


	23. Chapter 23

**Hello! Weekend's over, back to working!  
**

**Reviews: **

**Annie- I know! River just can't control her alpha tendencies these days, eh? I hope you enjoy the next chapter and thanks a million for reviewing! **

**Nightstar28- Haha, well I am related to Speedy Gonzales so…only kidding. I swear, these cliffy chapters write themselves! And Riddick was having a pout fest this weekend over not getting into the chapter. (Absolutely hated me for writing River and Johns a chapter.) My instincts are preening at the praise, thanks! I hope you like the update! And that there is a sufficient amount of Riddick-yumminess for you! (I feel I'll pay for that one later.)**

**Thanks to Matt (my ge ge) for his help with the song. Technically it's Japanese but I'm still using it because it's perfect.

* * *

**

Riddick looks over the terrain carefully. Quickly choosing a path he walks ahead, pausing and watching as the crew behind him hauls the sled. Once they get a good start he jogs slightly ahead, eyes always looking over the area.

River looks ahead, senses reeling from the assault of everything. She hears her pack louder than the others. Shazza is starting to get almost as loud as the pack and River wonders if that means Shazza has pack potential. "We are not making her ours. No more." River hisses the command silently to herself, trying to control herself.

'_Kimi wa kimi dake shika inai yo. Kawari nante hoka ni inainda. Karenai de ichirin no hana.'_

River smiles, eyes pausing on Riddick. Of course he'd be singing right about now. Of course he'd be the loudest.

'_Very nice words. Would appreciate the quieter version so we may listen to creatures.'_

A chuckle echoes in her mind and River shivers, smugness permeates the quiet humming in her mind.

'_Soothing. Xie xie dark shadow.'_

They continue running and River watches the group in front of her waving their lights.

River raises her arms when she feels two creatures desperate hunger, instincts to dive bomb the group and see who scatters to become the meal. She drops back a few more feet and waves her arms as she twirls.

The creatures dive for River separately and she kicks out her leg, dipping low and the springing into the air as she drags shivs to slice through stomach and throat. Running forward she turns and watches a dozen or so raptors snatch up their fallen brethren.

"Everyone pull in tighter to the middle! Riddick-bank left and avoid the urge to look back when we pass the macabre ball of creatures. Light back here will give you a headache that is not worth it."

No replies come, the actions happen without conscious thought as everyone follows orders.

* * *

Paris swallows hard and looks frantically around. He clutches the cutting torch and tries to make it burn more.

"Paris! Wasting fuel! Do not panic."

Paris jumps at River's voice and turns toward her, stopping. "But-the-and-ah-bu-" he stumbles over words as the torch flares up and makes him drop it. It lays on the ground and then sputters to its death. The whole group stops, Riddick walking backwards slowly as he watches the front.

'_Stopped beside that little macabre ball of creatures. We need to move before they stop cannibalizing and try to eat us.'_

River mentally nods and moves closer to the group.

"Don't panic."

Paris looks around frantically at the dark as the lack of light around him toys with his mind. The raptors begin screeching and River feels once crawling closer to Paris as he shakes and clutches the glow of the light cords.

"Everyone in and down!"

Jack hears the rustle of the creature and points her light tube toward it, stepping away from Kaylee and moving to Paris. "Just move back man."

Kaylee reaches out for Jack, worry clouding her eyes as she hears the rustle closer.

"Keep moving!" Riddick shouts.

River snarls, "Listen to him! Huddle up and move!"

Paris gropes behind him until he hits the sled. Reaching into the middle he pulls out a bottle that needs to be light by another. Fumbling hands reach for his lighter and Paris drops the bottle, whimpering as he looks around.

Riddick walks ahead, slowly leading them farther and farther from the congregation of creatures.

'_He's going to get himself killed.'_

Riddick stops and turns in time to see Paris drop to all fours and crawl. Kaylee holds tight to Jack's shoulder as the girl notices him moving away.

"Paris!"

River runs forward as the screeching becomes louder and she kicks out at Paris' chest, sending him flying back to land in a heap beside the sled.

Thwarted, the creature circles close overhead, smelling for the blood. River looks up, watching it moving in on the huddle of people near the edge of the light. To Kaylee and the children.

"Kaylee!" Kaylee looks at River and then raises the pistol, eyes watching for a moving shadow. Spotting one she fires and yelps at the kickback. Johns turns and raises the big gauge, firing above Kaylee and the others as he walks toward them.

Paris flinches at the sounds of gunshots, he starts to hyperventilate and crawls forward-already conveniently on the ground.

"This can't be happening! This can't be happening!"

Riddick crouches low and watches. River scans the area around herself.

Kaylee, Zoe and Imam huddle with their back trapping Jack and Suleiman beside the sled. Johns and Fry look frantically around themselves. Shazza stands close to River's pack, yelling to Paris, "Get back here! Ruttin lunatic, Paris! Come back!"

Riddick watches.

'_Right. Come toward the light.'_

River whirls right and sees three creatures stalking toward her stealthily. She takes wide side steps until she's in the circle of lights, grabbing toward Kaylee she gropes until she feels the sweaty handle of the pistol. Shooting the one in the middle the others give up and devour him.

"Paris. Two seconds to turn around and then we leave you."

Paris crawls forward, feeling a light tugging on his light tubes he continues to move forward.

River grabs the generator before it falls, she wraps her hand in Paris' lines and pulls backwards.

Paris slides back in the sand, screaming in fear.

"Paris feng le hun dan!"

Everyone watches the glowing form of Paris as he struggles away. River curses as she engages in tug-o-war over the roping. Finally she gives a strangled cry of rage and cuts the rope. Paris loses light immediately and freezes.

"River!" Kaylee stares in shock and River turns, aiming her gun and shooting a creature behind Riddick.

'_Don't get distracted.'_  
Riddick nods and move forward in his crouch.

"He was going to wreck the generators. Johns cover them." River looks back at Paris. Creatures slowly circling around him, "We have one more chance for you. Stand and run back while we shoot."

Paris shakes and yell, "Stupid bitch! I can't very well, you'd shoot me!"

River shakes her head and watches silently.

Paris shakily lifts his flask to his lips, and flicks his lighter to life. Spitting a stream of fire comes out and everyone sees the multitude of creatures around him. He gasps as he feels a sharp pain through his stomach. "Supposed to die in the new French Realm. Never even saw it." He swallows another gasp as the sharp claw rips him apart-as other claws join in.

"Everyone up. Stay close-we shall tell you when to spread out. Keep the area we assigned."

Everyone slowly rises and moves back to their positions, River walks to the generator and unscrews the useless tubing, tossing it into the shadows.

"Could you have saved him?" Imam murmurs as she walks back to her area.

River stops and looks at the still feasting creatures, "At first. Then he was marked and we could do nothing. If we let him pull the generators same result for him and we would have lost light. Make us lose a chance at living. Made a choice."

Imam gently pats her shoulder, "In our eyes-you chose right."

River smiles and continues walking. She resumes listening to everyone, singing softly, "You are the only "you". There is no such thing as your replacement. Don't wilt away, single flower."

* * *

Jack licks her lips and watches the group around her. She glances back at River, "Are we getting' close?"

At the question Fry purses her lips, "Can we pick up the pace!" she yells to more Johns than anyone.

Johns snaps and drops his rope, turning to snarl at Fry. River twirls closer to the light and says in a sing-song voice, "Jesters with cruel tongues should refrain in front of masked ladies and lost lambs. Would hate to have the panther have an extra tongue."

Riddick laughs up front and Johns sighs slowly, trying to control his spark of anger for the panther.

"Xie xie jester, smart choice."

At the praise Johns smiles and nods to her. He bends to pick up his rope when he sees the tracks. A growl leaves his lips and his eyes flash to meet River's. She tilts her head and nods, moving forward.

"Everyone tuck in-backs to the sled, light out. No threat if you keep in the moment."

Zoe frowns, "Riv, what we stopping for?"

Johns answers for her, "We crossed our own tracks."

Fry blinks and looks over to the front for Riddick.

'_What are they thinking wa hua?'_

River smiles and shakes her head slightly, damn tingling.

River walks to Johns. "Take off the tubing."

Johns complies and River hands him a flare. He strikes it against the sled and she leads him to Riddick.

* * *

Riddick crouches looking out as he listens to Johns and River approach.

'_I don't like how you smell with him.'_

'_Can not help that his morphine stains our fragrance.'_

'_Lucky it's just that.'_

'_We do not really see him as anything. Certainly he can not affect us like you are fearing.'_

'_I don't fear nothin' but you like to play too many games. This one is annoying. I might kill him if you keep it up.'_

'_Behave and we will let you punish us later. Besides, it benefits us. He is completely ours to use now. So simple.'_

River stops behind Riddick and glances up at Johns.

"You liken to tell us what the hell is goin' on?"

Riddick tilts his head. _'He thinks you don't know?'_

River glances back at the group, scanning for danger and listening to their chatter over the issue.

"Why'd we circle? We lost?"

Riddick watches ahead, "Listen."

"Do you know where we are?"

Riddick growls and stands quickly, "Listen!" the whole group hears him holler.

They hear the creatures wings flapping, the faint echo of air moving quickly and stopping quicker. At once weapons are raised outward and Johns sweeps the big gauge back and forth.

"Canyon ahead. Circled once to buy some time to think."

"I think we should go now!" Fry hollers.

River looks back at the group, "Follow." She nearly runs to the group, knowing the direction of the conversation.

"You knew?"

River meets Johns eyes, "We knew. Been talking with him to figure out a plan. Could not explain ourselves-you already trust us. Wanted you to trust him."

Johns smirks, "Damn equality shit you keep goin' on about might not happen."

River rolls her eyes, "We can hope."

Fry watches them as they stop in front of the huddled mass. "We have to go now."

Riddick looks forward, "I don't know about that. That's death row up there. Specially with the girl bleeding."

Johns snorts a laugh. "Got half a group of women Riddick. Specific. I don't see untended cuts."

Fry looks over herself, "What are you talking about? I'm not the one bleeding."

Shazza raises her hand to her cheek, "No blood here."

Zoe and Kaylee watch River carefully. Jack hides her face in Kaylee's shoulder.

"Not any of them. And…it's a little more than half."

River sighs as Jack sobs, "I just thought it might be better if people took me as a guy. I thought people would leave me alone. I didn't want you to leave me."

Johns stares, "You have got to be shittin' me."

"Wo de ma Jack!" Fry glares at Jack as she hollers and River shakes her head.

"Deng yi huir! We are handling this!"

Johns glares at River, "Knew this too, eh?" he spits at her.

River grits her teeth, "Jack is bleeding. But we are taking care of it."

Johns swallows and looks away, "Good. Hope you stuffed a cork in her so we can move on now."

River growls and Kaylee shoots to her feet, Jack staring in fear.

"Liu kou shui de biao zi he hou zi de ben er zi! Shootin' your mouth off like da xiang bao zha shi de la du zi!"

Everyone-even Riddick-stares at Kaylee.

Silently Shazza moves to Jack, smiling to the girl before she pulls her into a hug.

Johns twitches as he glares at Kaylee, who glares right back.

"I'm so sorry." Shazza holds Jack close as she shakes and River smiles, glad of it. River steps between Kaylee and Johns and turns to him.

"They'd have been nose open for her from the start if River hadn't cut herself up. They want her first." Riddick speaks mostly to Johns.

"You're bleeding too?" Fry whispers in fear.

River holds her arms out for them to see, "Made ourselves a target. When they come near-completely ignoring others-we kill them. In case no one noticed they go on blood."

Fry curses low and faces Johns, "This isn't going to work. We have to go back."

River frowns, "Not an option." She speaks quickly as she feels Johns' anger.

"What did you just say?"

River steps closer to Johns, "We were the ones to get everyone out here. We were the ones to help keep secrets."

Johns barely glances at River, "Yeah, you're wrong. Great job admitting it now." He eyes Fry, "Go back? Nice breeze, wide open space-I'm startin' to enjoy my fucking self!"

Fry glares at him, "What? Are you high again?"

"No, you were right Carolyn, what's to be afraid of? My life's a pile of meaningless shit anyhow! So I say much on-canyon's only a couple of hundred yards through and after it's skiff city! What do you think River?"

River glares at Johns. Imam raises his hands peaceably, "Miss Fry was the captain of the ship. No matter that River is the reliable pilot-Fry is captain. Respect her."

"Listen to her? No, you got it all wrong-Fry wasn't captain. And River isn't pilot. Ya see, the pilot was willing to sacrifice us all."

Kaylee frowns, "What's he talkin' about?"

Fry sniffles, "Stop it."

"This doesn't help us." River whispers.

Johns looks over at her, then to the others, "During the crash she tried to blow the whole passenger wing."

"Shut your gorram mouth!" Fry yells.

"We are fucking dispensable!" he yells back. "We're just walking ghosts to you, aren't we?"

Fry screams and launches herself at Johns. River moves quickly, catching her and spinning with the momentum to throw her toward Imam. Imam catches her gently, holding her as she sobs angrily.

River finishes her spin with a jump. She lands on Johns, glaring at him, "Big man with the big gun, you solve nothing like that! Make us wait here longer and waste light!"

Johns rolls, trying to pin River but she rolls again until they roll clear out of the light. Riddick glares as he watches the dark, the creatures.

* * *

"You made your point, we're all scared! Get back in the light!" Shazza screams.

"Stupid bitch, how much she weigh now?" Johns hisses as he lies under River.

"Light moves forward. Always was going to move forward. Did not need any of that!"

Johns glares up at her, "Didn't need to be surprised with the news about the kid neither."

River rolls her eyes, "We are taking care of the situation. And now we must fix this too."

Riddick watches the creatures fly around River and Johns. _'Flip him and let him get speared or get your asses back in the circle now wa hua.'_

"We have to move!" River jumps to her feet, pulling Johns with her.

Johns stops, glaring at her, "Getting the feeling you play too much."

River turns and stares at Johns. "You do not wish to fight us. Get back in the light Johns."

Johns scoffs, "Secrets. Games. This is all to get you and your pack out. Just like Fry. The rest of us are ghosts."

River growls and tugs him toward the light.

'_Down!'_ Riddick sees Johns swinging up the big gauge.

River reels backwards as the butt of the big gauge connects with her temple. She remains on her feet, surprising Johns.

"Not safe here." She raises a hand to her head and continues to try to pull Johns. He lowers the big gauge and blinks back the red rage.

"Ah, shit!" he realizes his mistake and River sees his remorse just as she sees the spots in her vision.

"Drugs make you very flighty in the emotion area." River looks around them carefully, moving toward the light.

* * *

Riddick growls and looks over the groups, "Stay."

He strides out and toward River and Johns, silently avoiding the creatures.

With a growl he lifts River into his arms and Johns rounds on him, gun aimed.

"Move!" River yells and Riddick takes off running back with Johns beside him.

* * *

"River?" Zoe stands as she sees her in Riddick's arms.

"Fine. We need to move."

Zoe glares at Johns, "Hun dan! You a woman beater now?"

Johns looks at River and keeps silent.

"It is okay! We need to move. Everyone go back to formation. We will be in the back still, new blood. Better bait. The generators are dying. Do you hear them sputtering? Maybe five minutes of light. Leave them, strike the flares and let's move."

Fry stares despondently from her place alone on the ground. Imam watches her in worry but moves to help Kaylee protect the children.

"If you stay in the back them bloody things-"

"Will try to get us and not any of you. Will aim to kill us and fail. That is the point."

Riddick looks over her carefully, facing mostly away from the light. He leans close and nuzzles her neck on instinct. River purrs, cuddling into him. Silence follows their display and River fights to keep her eyes open.

"Can you stand?"

River nods to Riddick and then clenches her teeth as the world spins. "Stand-yes. Nod-not so much."

Johns stares straight into the dark with a tense frame.

"Put us down. We must fix feng dian cao jia ren before it tears itself apart."

Riddick settles her on her feet and watches her lock her legs to prevent wobbling.

"Fry-stand up." Fry looks at River with empty eyes.

"Do you recall the voice in your head? Bounce on the load?"

Fry nods slowly and River smiles, "We were the voice. You were so loud-scared and doubtful. We fed your doubt with things. You hesitated. Hesitation means death. But you lived. Another chance. Don't waste it." Fry shakes as she stands and River smiles wider, "Masked lady has lost her mask. Now the others see her crumbling. They will not laugh-they will help to hold her up. Prima ballerina will dance death around them as they help hold up the crumbling lady. Lost lambs and fallen stars, jester and befuddled Sheppard. Broken butterfly. Hellhound will assist panther as prima ballerina assists alpha warrior."

Fry smiles, "I want to see you really dance."

River listens to her mind, hearing pieces of it breaking.

'_So many damaged people who survived and still died.'_

Riddick lays his hand on her arm, _'What about you? How damaged?'_

'_Enough to make the games funnier.'_

'_Oh, great.'_

River sways gently and hums, focusing on objects that aren't moving as she speaks, "Light moves forward. Jack-carry a bottle of Spirits and keep close to the sled. Everyone else do normal. We will take a gun now."

Zoe hands her one of her guns and extra ammo.

"Nothing will stop us from playing the game. The game will not stop until we are all dark or we are all light."

Riddick strides back to the front and growls at Johns, he looks carefully over the canyon and cracks his neck in anticipation, "All in?"

River laughs, "It's the only way to play!"

Riddick smiles and silently soothes his wa hua.


	24. Chapter 24

**Hello. It's raining. Yay! Here's a juicy chapter, enjoy!**

**Uhm...rain is messing with my Internet connection...hm.  
**

**Reviews:  
**

**ArtLightLove- Haha, so very true!**

**Annie- Yes, River and her devotion to being stubborn! Glad you liked! **

**Elizabeth Cords- Erm, not sure anyone wants to be even with him... Yes, I went back and forth over whether to let Paris kill it or for it to die. I'm trying to distance him a bit because I want him to be the 'lone wolf' and I never thought he'd so easily join the human race. Really? Hm, sounds interesting-I'll look it up! **

**Thanks everyone, enjoy!  
Oh, and excuse the song bit. Since finding the song I haven't been able to stop singing it so naturally I used it for its purpose-this story!  


* * *

**Riddick leads the group toward the beginning of the canyon.

'_If we fall don't stop.'_

Riddick growls and shakes his head, _'If you fall I ain't gonna stop. I'm gonna turn around and yank you up.'_

'_Just get them to safety! Why is this such a big deal?'_

'_I am not letting you drop back.'_

'_Hard to concentrate on moving objects. Might fall. Might have to fight. If we fall we will have to fight and then you must protect the others.'_

Riddick drops back closer to the group, "Everyone stop here. We're almost at the mouth. Drink deep what we got and take count of the bottles."

River carefully walks over the wavy floor, "We can not stop here!"

Riddick nods, "You're coming this way." Riddick grabs the hand light draped over his back and holds it to his side as the walk to a small rocky area to the side. It affords them decent solitude.

"Let me check you over."

River feels his beast pushing into her mind and she closes her eyes, allowing him to assess her.

"We are fine. No need to stop."

"Fei hua. Don't lie wa hua. Listen."

River listens to him humming into her mind and she latches onto it as the world continues to spin. She watches the sky as raptors fly to and fro.

Wobbling she falls to the wavy sand and blinks sleepy eyes.

"Kimi wa kimi dake shika inai yo. Sing."

River raises her hand to her still bloody temple and sings, "Kawari nante hoka ni inainda. Karenai de ichirin no hana." Riddick keeps humming in the background and River plucks the words from him, "Hikari ga matomo ni sashikomanai. Kimi wa maru de hikage ni saita hana no you. Noonda hazu jyanakatta basho ni. Ne wo harasete ugokezu ni inunda ne."

Riddick rips more of her dress off and stands, striding away while filling her head with humming.

"Tojikaketa kimochi haki daseba. Itami mo kurushimi mo subete wo uketomeru yo. Dakara nakanai de. Waratte ite ichirin no hana."

Riddick kneels beside her and wipes the alcohol soaked rag over her temple. She winces and he tries to remind himself to be gentle.

"Ima ni mo karete shimai sou na. Kimi no mujyaki na sugata ga mou ichido mitakute."

River stops singing and grits her teeth. Riddick whispers to her, "Kimi no chikara ni naritainda. Tatoe kimi igai no subete no hito wo. Teki ni mawasu toki ga kite mo. Kimi no koto mamori nuku kara."

Joining him she whispers in a steady voice, "You should notice that there is no other. You should notice that there is no next time. You should notice that there is no other. You should notice that there is no next time, notice that you should notice that. Notice that there's no other."

River sings louder as Riddick ties the cloth tightly over her head, holding the alcohol soaked rag tight in place. "Kimi wa kimi dake shika inai yo. Ima made mo kore kara saki ni mo. Tatoe kimi igai no subete no hito wo. Teki ni mawasu toki ga kite mo. Kimi no koto mamori nuku kara. Makenai de ichirin no hana."

Riddick watches her eyes open, slightly more focused than before.

"Have to tell us where you learned such a song some time."

Riddick smirks and watches her eyes focus on different things. Delving back into her mind he listens carefully. "Sing it for me again and I'll consider it."

"Some time."

Riddick watches her eyes as he leans forward. He nuzzles her neck and she smiles, "You are a better man than you credit yourself."

River pulls back and looks into the sky, watching creatures. "We are to go into hell to burn away the sins."

Riddick barks a laugh, "Been in holy man's mind too long?"

River smiles and looks at Riddick, leaning over she places a kiss to his jaw and stands, walking away on steady ground with eyes that follow moving things.

"I want to become your strength. Even if there comes a time when the world becomes our enemy. I'll protect you." River sings softly as she joins her group.

* * *

Johns watches River walk back to her group with a wrapping on her head. He strides to follow her path and stops as Riddick walks toward him.

"We kickin' on?"

Riddick smirks, "Saddle up."

Johns chuckles, "Not in the mood to play sled dog."

Riddick looks over Johns carefully. Man had guts. Hit his girl and then come to make small talk? Real guts. Pity they'd be a meal soon.

River catches his eyes and smiles, _'If you aren't going to kill him we will come up there and finish him.'_

'_He's mine. He ain't tugging the sled. Wants to talk?'_

'_Like we said-kill him.'_ The darkness in River's voice makes him instantly wary of just what angle Johns has come to play.

* * *

"Everyone move to position."

Imam slides on his harness and looks for Johns, only to find him by Riddick.

"What is the meaning of this?"

River smiles, "They have things to discuss. Trust us?"

Imam nods and River sighs in relief, "Good. Thank you. Shazza, can you pull with him?"

Shazza nods and smiles, slipping into the rope carelessly. River laughs and adjusts her so she mirrors Imam. "There, now you two are ready."

* * *

They walk along at a jog, River listens as Johns and Riddick walk silently. She calculates they are in the first few feet of canyon.

* * *

Johns swings the big gauge back and forth in front of them. He sees Riddick eyeing something to his right and fires a shot, glancing back to see the others watching him and his big gauge.

Riddick shakes his head as he watches Johns try to psych the others out.

"Ain't all of us gonna make it." Riddick looks at him, listening. "Ten of us left. We could make it through the canyon lose just one or two it'd be quiet a feat, wouldn't ya say?"

Riddick scans the front and says absently, "Not if I'm the one."

Johns smirks, "Well, what if you're one of eight?"

Johns turns when he hears wings flap and a screech, he fires another shot and Riddick smirks. "I'm listening."

* * *

Jack looks back at River, "What are they doing up there?"

Imam smiles, "They are talking about the canyon I suppose. How to get us through."

River looks over at Fry and Shazza, silently she looks over everyone, "All the same we believe we need to slow down."

"Are you going to dance?" Fry smiles as she speaks and River listens to the others wonder if Fry has lost her mind.

"We might."

Happily Fry slows down.

* * *

Johns looks up at the black sky, "Battlefield doctors decide who lives and dies. It's called triage."

Riddick snorts, "Kept callin' it murder when I did it."

"Either way, I figure it's something you can grab on to."

Riddick grits his teeth, if the man thinks he can't handle another murder on his name he'll be happy to prove him wrong.

* * *

Imam leans closer to the front, trying to hear when Riddick and Johns are discussing. He picks out a few words and murmurs them to himself.

River listens to Imam and at his seeking gaze she smiles, "When you trust us you trust our pack. You trust our strength. He will protect us."

Imam reaches around his neck and grips his prayer beads. "Faith is something I have plenty of."

* * *

"Sacrifice. Pack up the body and leave it at the start of the canyon. Like a bucket of bait." Riddick's tone is devoid of emotions as he keeps his eyes forward.

"Trawl with it. We got extra cable on the sled. We drag the body forty, fifty feet behind us."

Riddick smirks, "Nice embellishment."

'_Sick son of a bitch. How am I the monster and he the law?'_

River whispers into his mind, _'You were the law once, remember? Company man. Until you quit. Then the world showed their true colors and the man turned bitter.'_

'_Last thing I need is for someone in my head in the restricted section.'_

'_Well, we'll let you in our restricted section later. You'll find we suffer from our own 'Company' issues.'_

"Well, I don't want to feed 'em I just want to keep 'em off our scent." Johns waves his flare as he speaks.

Riddick turns and looks over his shoulder, eyes catching River's as he shuts his mind, silently telling her to fall farther back.

* * *

River pouts at having her connection to Riddick cut. Catching herself she thanks her luck-what little she has-that Riddick doesn't know she was pouting over him.

"Everyone stop."

Imam frowns, "Mister Riddick will kill-"

River sighs, "Let us worry about who does what."

"Feng le?" he asks quietly.

River smiles, "Always!"

Fry smiles tentatively and looks at River with a twisted smile, "Dancing. They are dancing."

River looks at the others with slight worry and walks to her slowly, "Fry, little masked lady. We fear you've lost your mask and do not know how to hold together without its burden of weight."

Fry sighs and looks at the sky, "Never my mask to bear."

River leans closer, like a coconspirator, "Who's mask?"

Fry smiles, "Yours!"

River nods, "We had a mask. Broke it. So we could heal. Let us teach you to heal?"

Fry snaps her head back and sniffles, "I am not broken!"

River nods, drawing on what she wanted when she was crazy and what she longed for when she was sane. River reaches over and pulls Fry into a hug, "Hush. Sui. Fu sui. Who are we to decide?"

Fry giggles and then frowns, "You did decide. Decided to save everyone. I was going to kill them."

River draws her closer and delves into her mind, looking for the pieces to put her back together.

* * *

"Don't look! Christ! What the hell's wrong with you?" Johns stares at Riddick in slight contempt over his lack of discretion.

Riddick shrugs and continues scanning the area. Johns stops walking with a low growl, "All right, enough of this shit. You do the lost lambs and I'll keep the others off your back."

Riddick stops his slow gait and his beast rips at the cage as his whole being reacts to Johns willingness to pray on children.

'_Kill him now. Turn and plant a shiv in his spine. Sweet spot. Do it!'_

'_Just wait.'_

'_Be quick. Wants to kill kids. Kaylee will shoot him first. Or, being he wants to kill the cub, our girl will steal the kill.'_

'_Just. Wait.'_

"It's not too big a job for ya, is it?" Johns smirks and Riddick turns to him slowly with a frown.

"I'm just wonderin' if we don't need a bigger piece of bait."

Johns tilts his head and shrugs half-heartedly, "Like who? One of the skirts? River's redhead wouldn't put up much of a fight. And the kids?"

Riddick keeps silent and narrows his eyes slightly, _'Let. Go.'_

'_Not too long now.'_

Riddick rumbles a growl and Johns narrows his eyes as he glares at him. Riddick's eyes flash as he drops the bars of the cage and his hellhound runs rampant.

* * *

Fry stares at the sky with worry.

"Johns and Riddick will be here soon?"

River purses her lips and shakes her head. Fry frowns and everyone watches what will happen. "Johns was a hun dan. Riddick is taking care of him."

Fry shakes her head, "You can't."

River smirks, "He can."

Fry paces and runs her hands in her hair in worry, "No! No. Johns….no."

At her yelling River tenses. She feels the grim looking them over. "Shush Fry. Every back needs to hit that sled. Now!"

* * *

Johns and Riddick stare each other down as the green flare flickers. Slowly Johns realizes just what his predicament is.

Riddick sweeps his right arm out and slams his fist into Johns elbow, effectively making him drop his flare. He spins and grabs the big gauge as Johns recovers from the shock of a sudden assault. Riddick swings the big gauge up toward Johns' head connects with his arms. Johns gropes for the gun and they fight over it, shooting off the gun. Johns tries to wrench it from Riddick, managing to pull Riddick's arm over his own. Raising his fist he slams his forearm down against Riddick's and watches the elbow dislocate. Riddick glares as he raises his fist and jabs a punch to Johns' jaw. Johns flies back as Riddick tosses the gun away and grips his hanging wrist to pop his elbow back in.

* * *

River snarls as creatures dive bomb toward them. She raises a flare over her head and waves it as she shoots with her free hand. Beside her Shazza smothers Jack into Kaylee's side as Kaylee hold to Suleiman and Suleiman holds to Imam. Fry stares next to him and Zoe finishes off their line, shooting with River.

"Zoe! Down!" Riv hollers as a creature swoops from behind and almost slices Zoe's wrist.

"We have to move back!" Imam yells.

River crouches low and nods, "Everyone up in a crouch! Lights over your heads! Let's go!" She moves to the front and leads as Imam, Suleiman, and Shazza haul the sled. Kaylee, Jack and Fry flank behind them and Zoe covers them with her gun.

* * *

Riddick listens to the sounds of shooting and screaming. He watches Johns lift himself to his feet and start to circle. Riddick lifts his hand light off and counters Johns' every move.

The flare sputters where it lays and Riddick smirks, palming his shiv and facing the hand light in Johns' eyes.

"One rule." He murmurs as he steps forward. Johns grabs his own shiv and watches frantically. Riddick feints with the shiv and swings his hand light up, smacking Johns in the face and sending him sprawling again. "Stay in the light."

Johns smirks and snaps his baton out, whirling to his feet he lashes out with it. Riddick dodges and counters every strike of the baton, feinting time and again with the shiv. Johns slams Riddick across the chest with the baton, following it by stepping forward and trying to fell the beast. Riddick goes down and rolls, Johns kicking out. Riddick catches his foot and slams him to the ground.

* * *

"River!" Shazza yells as wings flap close enough to send air rustling her hair. River turns and fires blindly. Three shots. Three kills.

Calculating quickly River tries to figure a way to loose all of the creatures attacking them. Reaching safely out of the canyon River screams, "Qin!"

Everyone complies, hitting the dirt and squishing to the sides of the sled. River grips her bottle of Spirits tightly and runs forward into the dark.

"River!" the group screams at her. River closes her mind to concentrate. Frantically Jack fights to go to her alpha, to get her back to the light. Fry raises her head and stares as she watches River's form become smaller.

"Agh!" Fry cries as something slick wraps around her throat. She flails her hands up as she feels her body lift into the air.

"Fry!" Kaylee screeches.

Ahead, River jumps into the air and throws her bottle, smashing it into a creature. She dips her arm over the flame and the alcohol soaked rag ignites. The creatures screeches as it flies, turned into a flying torch. River watches it light other creatures, watches it fly crazily. She peels her arm wrapping off and creeps back, silently jogging back with her hand wrapped in a cloth of flames.

* * *

"Remember that moment?" Riddick grits out from clenched teeth as he circles Johns.

Johns flails a bit, eyes roving over the circle of light, over Riddick as he hears the clicking of creatures and the swishing of wings. He gropes over the floor for anything he can use to fight, to live. Grabbing a bone he swings it up like a club, backing to the edge of the light so Riddick is in his view.

'_Not done with you yet.'_ Riddick snarls internally as he backs up so Johns will leave the edge. Johns rushes forward, striking out and trying to catch Riddick's head or knees. His swings are too large, too frantic, Riddick calmly slices the backs of his fingers to the bone. Johns cries out and drops the bone, clutching his fingers as he drops to his knees to scramble for the sputtering flare. Riddick takes two steps forward, landing his second on the back of Johns' bleeding hand. He crunches down and listens to the sound of broken fingers.

"Should have never taken the chains off Johns." He grabs Johns' collar and drags him from the flare, into the center of the light. He flicks of the hand light and lays it by the flickering flare with a pure animal smile.

* * *

River tosses the cloth to the ground as she feels the scorching heat begin to scald her. She smiles as she goes to the group and the falters. She opens her mind and hears too much.

Johns.

Fry.

Creatures.

River gasps and drops to her knees, eyes wide as she clutches at the ground, trying to stay grounded when all she can think of is to float away and hide from the feelings. _'Never again!'_ River heaves breaths as she keeps the doors open and tries to minimize the emotions until they stop.

It's harder without Riddick's presence in her mind, a fact that makes River snarl and growl as she fights for her independence. _'We can do this without anyone else.'_

Wordlessly Imam and Zoe pull River further into the light as Kaylee and Jack hug each other and cry.

* * *

Riddick lifts his shiv and circles Johns, weaving in and out of the light. Johns crawls around mindlessly searching for his gun, never looking away from the glow of mercurial eyes.

* * *

A scream fills the air and River feels Fry finally silent. Realizing just how long her death took most of the others break down in tears. Zoe watches River and Imam joins hands with Suleiman and Kaylee to pray. Kaylee and Jack hold Imam's offered hand and pray between sobs. Shazza mutely sits with Zoe, watching over River as she writhes on the ground.

* * *

"One brave fuck before. Billy-Badass. With the chains…the gauge…the badge."

Johns bumps into the gun, with no thought but survival he digs in his vest pocket for his ammo shells. Loading one he jumps to his feet and glares at Riddick.

"And I'm still Billy-Badass." He pulls the trigger but only the sound of glass breaking fills his ears. He cuts the shell loose and watches it roll, red shell stopping at the edge of the green light. A drip of wasted morphine spills around it.

Riddick watches Johns become desolate of hope of survival and stalks behind him. Planting the shiv in his shoulder blade he slices all across his back.

Holding the shiv to Johns' neck he whispers as he inserts the shiv, "I told you to ghost me." Ripping the shiv out Johns gurgles and clutches at his throat.

Riddick steps back as the flare dies, watching as a pool of blood surrounds Johns. Clicking and screeching warns Johns and he looks up, spluttering blood as his head almost flops back.

A raptor lands in front of him, a hatchling. Desperate for food and curious still, it lifts the meal by its armpits. Clicking a falsely soothing melody Johns watches in fear as the creature looks him over. Rearing back its head the raptor screeches loudly in glee, slamming its head forward and swallowing the head. It came off easily enough.

* * *

River wobbles to her knees, panting as she feels Johns die. She clenches her eyes shut and listens. The creatures are feasting and fighting and searching for food. Johns is becoming a meal. Her girl's are sad and scared. Her charges are sad and scared. Riddick is shut in his own mind.

There is silence. Old silence from Zeke and Ali and Hasan. New silence from Paris and Fry and Johns. The silence is louder than anything and River tries to drown it out.

'_Just spit out your closed-up feelings. I'll accept all of your pain and suffering. So please don't cry. Please smile, single flower. I wanted to see your innocent figure. That looked as if it were about to wilt, one more time. I want to become your strength. Even if there comes a time, when the whole world becomes our enemy. I'll protect you.' _River hums it low in her mind and wraps its meaning around her like a shield. Armor. She wears the words to protect herself, pulling them tight as she struggles.

* * *

Riddick walks to the light, sliding his goggles on and rumbling, "I know you weren't all running back to the ship to hide out."

Silence meets his words and he tilts his head to see the form of River wavering on her knees.

"Wa hua?"

River doesn't respond and he opens his mind to her, searching out his girl.

'_Wa hua, are you with me?'_

River lets the song finish wrapping about her, looking up at the sky she whispers, "As you are with us, we are with you."


	25. Chapter 25

**Just a short little filler chapter I guess. Thanks to everyone who reads this. Thanks to any who have reviewed, added me as a favorite or alert, or my story! Thanks! Sure this story is soon to be finished and flirting with the idea of sequels.**

**Reviews:**

**ArtLightLove- Thanks! Haha, yes, Dead Johns!**

**Annie- Yeah, I had to kill Fry because I was tempted to keep her! These characters are growing on me so death scenes are pretty difficult to make myself write. Not Johns, he was an ass.

* * *

**"No going back. That's clear." Zoe speaks in the voice River has heard countless times in Mal's dreams. She is the soldier now. She is in a war and she is fighting for what she believes. Freedom from the dark, survival of her unit.

Riddick nods slightly, "Clear. Anyone wants to go back they only have this piece of mercy to hold on to-you'll wind up huddled together with whatever you can find until those creatures get you and you can't even see what's eating you in the dark."

Shazza laughs darkly, "Don't think we need the scare tactic big fella, no one's going back."

Riddick glances at Imam and Suleiman. The kid shakes a bit, eyes wide, "Johns?"

No answer follows and Imam whispers, "We are all to die out here."

Jack wipes her eyes roughly and clears her throat, "Way I see it, ain't a real loss with Johns. Hun dan had it comin' and if jia zhu hadn't done it someone else woulda." Jack pauses and clenches her jaw, glancing at Riddick and then into the dark with searching eyes, "Did he die fast?"

Riddick strides over and crouches next to Jack, whispering, "Quick. If we have any choice it's how we all should go." Jack nods and sniffles, eyes misting at so many losses. "Don't you cry for Johns. Don't you dare."

Jack flares a bit and raises her chin, "I ain't! An' only Riv can get to telling me what to dare do and not!"

Riddick smirks and stands, eyes on the cub still, "Riv wouldn't cry over him. Hell, I think she'd promote dancing on his grave if we managed the put the halves in one."

Jack smiles shakily, quick death torn in half. Fry had suffered but the others died quick. That was a mercy she thought everyone deserved.

Kaylee wipes her eyes with her head hung, trying to hide her weakness. She looks up with a dirt stained face and sets her chin in a cute stubborn way that only she could. "How we getting' through the canyon? Eight of us. I'm not much of a fighter but I know mechanics well enough to fit pieces together. Kids in the center, cells at back. Fighters in the front, we run like hell."

Zoe smiles, "Mechanics and hangin' around Browncoats-you're all right little Kaylee."

Riddick looks at the silent River and pushes in her mind, prodding her into action.

"Everyone up."

River stands as she speaks and the others follow. She strides forward and pulls the ropes off Imam and Shazza, Suleiman drops the rope from his hands.

"Drop the sled, haul the packs and cells. Riddick takes point up front. He'll haul the cells. If they're in back we risk lagging. Up front we know the pace to keep. Flanking behind Riddick will be Imam, Shazza and Zoe. Triangle formation. In the center of the triangle will be Kaylee and our lambs. Both are to stick to her side. Covering back we will watch over the others."

River ties the rope to the handles of the power cells, testing the strength of the rope with tugging.

"We move in five. Hunker down, get a bottle count. Flares go into the pack. Light up what we need."

Riddick smirks as he watches River eye the sled.

* * *

Riddick walks off from the others with his hand light firmly on his back. He follows the scent of his girl and finds her next to a raptor body. It twitches and he realizes it is a fresh kill.

River strokes the skin of the creature, looking at its body. She slices of a claw with her shiv and turns to find Riddick behind her.

"Needed research material."

Riddick nods and she smiles to him before walking off, intent on her mission. Riddick eyes the corpse, looking at the fresh dripping blood. He bends down and picks up a T-shaped body part, holding it to the death wound. It's an eye.

Looking it over he smiles slightly, "Blind spot." Dropping the eye he taps the blind spot before stepping back and listening to the creatures devouring the body behind him.

* * *

Imam holds his prayer beads tightly, walking to River. He watches her lift the door and flop it so the domed out side faces up.

"Would you like to pray?"

River smiles, "Prayer is…calculations are more reliable."

Imam smiles, "But prayer is for the soul. Calculations can not help a soul."

River shrugs, "We knew a Sheppard named Book. Faith does not need to make sense. You do not fix faith, it fixes you. Believe in something, no matter what it is just believe it. We believe that he spoke the truth but so far nothing is worth believing in."

Imam frowns slightly and River hears the familiarity in his thoughts as he thinks of Book. Derrial Orion Book. River blinks hearing that he had known the man. Imam clears his head of the fact, focusing back to the present, "Yourself. Many people believe in you River."

River shrugs and raises the severed claw above her head, swinging it down and connecting to the door. It barely dints and River smiles wider, "Many people believe in us. True. Our pack. Our family in the stars. They all believe in us. This group does. Believing in oneself…never our forte to be honest. We have faith that your prayer would be better spent on someone who needs it."

Imam smiles, "You will not pray with me. I hope you will not stop me praying for you?"

River shrugs, "Do what you must."

Imam chuckles, walking away and murmuring, "The point of faith is that you do not have to believe it, you simply do."

* * *

Riddick lifts the ropes to the power cells, testing the weight and how to pull the cells quickly.

Imam walks over to him with a smile, "Shall we pay together?" Riddick drops the ropes and spins to look at him. Imam walks closer, standing beside him, "I have already prayed with most of the others. It is painless."

"It is pointless." Riddick counters, kneeling down and shortening the ropes.

"Because you do not believe in God, does not mean God does not believe in you."

Riddick speaks, overlapping with him, "You think someone could spend half their life in a slam with a horse bit in his mouth and not believe? You think he can start out in some liquor store trash bin with an umbilical cord wrapped around his neck and not believe? You got it all wrong holy man. I absolutely believe in God. And I absolutely hate the fuck."

Imam raises his chin, light in his eyes and hope in his words, "He is with us nonetheless."

"Two of your boys are already dead. How much faith do you have left Father?" Riddick glares slightly as he speaks, hoping to make the man as embittered toward God as he is.

Imam clenches his jaw and murmurs, "I am satisfied that you believe. Hold on to your belief, even in hate. Have faith and do not lose it. I doubt your hate will allow it leave."

Riddick blinks and looks at him quizzically, "Not gonna preach to me about needing God?"

Imam chuckles, "You do not need God Mister Riddick, you have a belief already. I prefer that to someone having no belief like Miss River. She is one people believe in, yet she herself holds to no belief or faith. Like her, will you allow me to pray for you in the absence of with?"

Riddick looks over in the direction of his girl, shaking his head slightly, "Man who hates God ain't 'xactly in God's favor. Make use of the prayer you were saving for me and use it on the girl."

Imam smiles and nods, "I shall pray with and for young Jacqueline."

Riddick tilts his head, "Jacqueline?"

"She is a she, Mister Riddick. Her name is to be that of a girl. Respect her body even though she tries to hide it."

Riddick stands and walks away slowly, pausing he murmurs, "Pray for your boy too. Lost lambs always need more guidance from the Sheppard."

Imam smiles and simply nods behind his back. As he leaves Imam stands and holds on to his torch bottle, "Maybe Miss River shall find belief in you, Mister Riddick? And in return you will show your trust in her…belief many have given. Trust is something new that she needs. For this to happen, I pray for you both."


	26. Chapter 26

**So, pretty sure tomorrow will be the last chapter for this story. If requested a sequel will be posted. Tomorrow the big finale will be up as to the ending of Pitch Black. We'll move into the time on the skiff and the events of Dark Fury if anyone wants.**

**Reviews:**

**Annie- Here's more, glad you like and I hope you like. **

**Thanks, enjoy!

* * *

**

Riddick leads the group to the mouth of the canyon. Behind him heavy steps fall into the sand as everyone but River helps support the weight of the sled. They hold it over their heads, flares burning in the handles.

Screeching and clicking fills the air as the sound of fighting echoes through, bone butting bone. River and Riddick watch the fighting creatures struggle across where they'll walk soon.

"Only see one way. That way. Only way of this rock. Just keep the door up and don't lag."

River smiles as he grips the ropes tighter. "Move!" Riddick vaults forward at his words, cells dragging behind. The group hesitates and Riddick shouts again, "Move!"

They run.

Lights and fires blur as they run, eyes always probing the dark as sounds fill the air. Minutes pass with panting breaths the only reprieve from sounds of the creatures.

'_Faster hellhound.'_

'_Working on it.'_

'_Xie xie.'_

Riddick leans forward, using his weight to counter the cells' weight. He locks his arms behind his back, running.

* * *

Clicking and wings fill the canyon as a blob of dark shadows cuts into the already dark sky. Shazza and Kaylee gasp, everyone faltering in their steps.

"Move your asses!" Riddick shouts, ducking lower and weaving through hatchlings as they fly over him.

Pounding fills the air as claws hit the door-turned-sled-turned-shield. At the rear River runs in a crouch, arms tucked under herself as she avoids the flock of babies.

After what feels an eternity the flock ends and River springs up, "Drop the shield!"

Jack and Suleiman snatch the flares from the shield, everyone tossing it aside.

Able now they run quicker to be closer to Riddick, lights shining brightly on his back.

* * *

'_Merciful Buddha!'_ River feels the first drops of lukewarm liquid hit her skin, blue blood-goo on her body.

Everyone slowly feels it and Riddick growls out loudly, "Do not look up! Do not look up!"

At the prodding many heads snap down but Kaylee glances up, gagging as she falters and looks at the ground. Curious, Suleiman pauses and stares into the sky. "They are killing one another." He whispers.

"Come on!" Riddick shouts, looking back to see the kid frozen as he stares. River nudges him mentally, running forward as she feels the creatures notice the frozen lamb meal.

"Suleiman!" River yells as a claw shoots out, catching his leg and dragging him into the sky.

"No!" Imam sobs, eyes wide as he tracks the screaming. River clenches her jaw as she aims her gun and fires, hitting the boy so the screaming stops.

"Keep moving." She growls, faint mercurial eyes shiny with tears.

Riddick looks back, _'Quick.'_

River nods, _'He will be the last meal for them.'_

Riddick watches the sky, closing part of his mind as he runs through situations on the skiff.

* * *

The group swings around a corner, stopping to see a body in the way. Riddick batters through with the cells, running ahead for the others to catch up.

One by one they go through the body, running ahead separately. Lastly, River crawls through, groaning as something grabs her bare foot.

Pulling with all her strength she grips the side of the body as she kicks her leg.

A strangled scream leaves her lips as the claw around her foot goes in her foot.

Ahead everyone turns.

"Don't stop! Get through!"

Riddick makes to drop the ropes and turn back when Shazza breaks away from the others, running and sliding to River.

"I've got you, I've got you!" River grips her wrist with one hand, feeling her pull. With her other hand River reaches down and slices messily and painfully through the claw, pulling it out and scrambling up. The group moves forward, Riddick still many paces ahead as the others worry for River.

"Riddick!" Jack calls, watching him climb a hill and prepare to go over it.

Riddick barely turns as he hears River's cub, intent on pulling ahead. No going back for anyone. They had to survive on their own.

* * *

River limps forward, Kaylee and the others grabbing her as Zoe drops to wrap her foot.

"Keep going, we have to keep everyone going."

Jack walks toward Riddick, light bright in her hand, "Riddick!"

The noise draws the wrong attention.

A creature dives for Jack, clicking and screeching. Jack dives in counter, under a bone. The force of the diving creature snaps the bone and Jack screams, "No!"

River breaks away from the group, "Jack!" Riddick turns quickly, feeling River's terror for Jack.

Riddick looks at Jack as she struggles under the bone, creature fighting to chip it away.

"Get back!" River runs to the creature, shining her light at it as she tries to get close enough to shiv it dead.

"Don't touch her! Look!" River waves her bloody arms, sliding the light under to Jack who clutches it as she sobs. River waves her foot and arms, the creature freezing before tackling River.

* * *

Jack scrambles forward, "River! Help her!"

Zoe lines up her sight, watching River and the creature roll.

In a flurry of movements Riddick moves to where River holds the claws of the creature and plants her bloody feet against its body.

Riddick stands over the struggling creature, reaching down and twisting its head to look at him. It stops struggling, falling onto River as she pants.

"He did not know who he was fucking with." The group stares as Riddick kicks the body over, gripping River's arm and pulling her up with a clenched jaw.

River shakes, eyes hazy as she smiles, "Thank you. We have to go, the others are fine."

Riddick glares at River, "Keep like you are and you'll wind up dead."

River shakes her head, "That or we will wind up as a champion for our group."

Slamming his mind closed River accepts the anger she still feels from him.

* * *

The group runs. Twice Shazza falls but she pulls herself up mumbling, "Cramp."

Imam grabs her, hoisting her in his arms and running with her. Everyone huddles together, creatures all around as they run.

A hissing fills the air as Riddick stops and turns, meeting River's eyes as she stares.

"Oh no," Kaylee whispers, hands running over her face to wipe away the raindrops.

It starts to downpour and everyone shields their bottles and flares, lights sputtering low.

Riddick laughs at Imam's look, "Where the hell's your God now? Bad time to bless us with water."

River feels Imam swell in anger, resentment in his eyes as he resolves to make it through the canyon.

One bottle sputters out and Kaylee squeaks in fear. A flare burns to its end and Zoe angrily tosses it away.

Running to a clave in the canyon they hide under the wall, River piling all the light together. She shakily pours every drop of alcohol into one bottle, looking at the wet, sputtering flares and the hand light on Riddick's back.

Riddick climbs onto a rock, looking toward the end of the canyon. He looks back at the group, feeling River trying to speak into his mind.

"How far?" she finally asks and he clenches his jaw.

"We can't make it."

Silence falls over the huddling group and River stands, "What?"

Riddick shakes his head, looking around. "There." River follows his pointing finger and sees an opening in the rocks.

"Hide here, now." Riddick glances in, sure it's clear as he pushes aside a rock to allow bigger access.

Jack and Kaylee go in first, then Zoe as Imam and Shazza go in. River pauses at the door and looks into Riddick's eyes, face blank as she runs calculations and scenarios in her head.

She ducks into the cave, turning back to see the rock slide over the opening.

"Why is he still out there?" Kaylee whispers. Jack shakes as she falls to the ground, eyes squeezed shut. Zoe watches River closely, waiting for her reaction as Imam and Shazza huddle over to Kaylee and Jack.

River looks at the bottle in her hand, noting the small amount of quick burning alcohol. She looks at the last unlit flare in Kaylee's pack and clenches her jaw as she lets herself think.

* * *

Riddick leans on the rock, turning away slowly, as if painfully. He keeps his mind shut, keeps his mind focusing on the skiff.

He pulls the cells through the mud, struggling up a hill with the weight of the cells dragging him back.

'_I'm surviving. If any of them make it to the skiff before I take off, fine.'_

He tells himself that he's looking to his ass first and that River will make it to the skiff before he flies away.

* * *

'_He will not come back.'_

'_I fucking knew we couldn't trust him!'_

'_His beast recognizes us as his. This is the man reverting back to old habits and trying to fight what he doesn't know.'_

'_Just what is he fighting?'_

'_You. Me. His man, his beast, knows he's met his match in us. He does not know why but he knows we are his mate as he is our mate.'_

'_How do we fix this?'_

'_Likes us. Likes survival.'_

'_We lie to the group and then make him wait for us.'_

'_Make him come back with us.'_

"He's almost to the skiff, our turn is up."

Wide eyes meet her statement and River explains, "Mentally arranged for him to pull the cells to the skiff. We are to run to him and bring light back."

As she speaks the bottle sputters and dies.

"You're all bloody River, no light, wet bullets." Zoe looks at her in disbelief. Then frowns that she can see River still.

"Glow worms!" Kaylee chirps, picking one off the wall and watching it squirm in her hand.

"In that bottle, we will take it as light and be back with more."

Everyone plucks worms from the wall, stuffing them into the bottle and River smiles to them before opening the entrance, "We will not leave you. The fallen stars will resume their lives in the black."

Zoe meets her gaze, mentally telling her, _'If you don't come back we won't let anyone be torn apart for food.'_

River looks over the others and nods, "Zoe."

Zoe watches her slip out and then the rock falls back into place.


	27. Chapter 27

**Last chapter! Whoot! Okay, to everyone who reads this I hope you've enjoyed the ride! Two people have asked for sequels and I'll get to writing them as soon as I can. Look out for that! (Yeah, just two but I was just asking for requests because I didn't know whether anyone would read it. With at least one reader, it's worth a shot!)**

**Reviews:**

**Annie- Thanks! This one took a little longer but that's just because I was reluctant to let it end. Enjoy!**

**ArtLightLove- Noted, thank you! Keep your eye out for _Floating_. (Guess what the title is?) **

**Lizziebug- Okay, okay, okay, thanks! **

**Thanks to anyone who reviewed or even gave this story a passing glance! On with the ride...keep all elbows tucked in and keep your feet out of the blue puddles of blood please!

* * *

**Riddick climbs onto the skiff, dragging the cells in. He pops them in to their ports and powers up the skiff. Removing his hand light from his back he clenches his jaw, staring out into the black around him. He turns, bringing the hand light up and smashing it against a side panel. Can't go back with no light. He walks back to the door, hanging the useless light on a hook and sliding the switch from open to close.

There's no more River pushing at his mind and he looks back, searching for her in the dark behind the skiff, waiting almost, for her to appear.

* * *

River growls as she holds the bottle up, slamming it to the ground as she slides in the mud.

She manages to climb up, feeling her wounds open and flood. The rain washes it away.

The city is so close, an angry growl rips from her lips and she runs, not caring of bloody feet or pain.

* * *

Imam holds the bottle as Kaylee and Jack plop more glow worms in. They make it just over three fourths full and Kaylee whispers, "That's all we got."

Shazza sits beside Zoe, staring at the rock as wings sound far too close in landing and clicking reaches them too loudly.

* * *

Riddick sits in the pilot seat, plotting a course and preparing to fly away. He flips a few switches and keeps his eyes forward, unwilling to look back.

* * *

River slips and lands on her face, she rolls to her feet and continues on, listening to creatures and her pack. She stays away from Riddick's mind.

She stops at the edge of light surround the front of the skiff, watching Riddick as he preps.

Riddick looks up and River steps forward, holding her bottle of light limply as she glares at him. He smirks and walks to the back, River follows the faint glow and sound of the door lowering to stand in the middle of the light now engulfing the back end of the skiff.

* * *

Zoe reaches into the pack, pulling out the last flare and striking it, holding it in front of her as she steps toward the door. The creatures see it past the cracks and cry out in anguish at the lost meal.

Zoe lays the flare to glow, stepping back to the others she meets their scared gazes.

Jack and Kaylee squish themselves as far back as they can and Shazza and Imam stand in front of them. Zoe smiles to Imam, ever the face of calm, "Pray."

As everyone kneels low and joins hands Zoe goes over methods to kill them quickly with minimal pain. A voice in her head reminds her she can't break her own neck but she ignores it, focusing on her unit.

* * *

The rain washes the mud and blood down River's body. She stands with her legs shoulder width apart and her arms at her sides as Riddick looks back at her with his goggled gaze.

Riddick faces mostly toward the wall, impartial to the outside of the skiff.

"Strong survival instinct. I admire that in a woman."

River swallows hard, glaring at him, "Fuck you Riddick." Riddick smirks and River grips the bottle tighter, "We promised them that we would go back with more light."

Riddick faces her, planting his hands on either side of the skiff. "Did you?" His body clearly tells her that he won't let anyone onto his skiff if he doesn't want to.

"What Riddick? Scared?"

He throws his head back and laughs darkly, River shakes her head, throwing the bottle at his feet and watching it shatter, glow worms crawling away in haste.

Riddick lowers his head and watches River, beast whispering to him as he pulls the chains tighter.

"You're fucking scared! Scared because you're not the worst thing to find in the dark!"

Riddick clears his face and rumbles low, "Me afraid? The only fear I smell is your little scent so that one's all yours."

River strides forward to the edge of the ramp, glaring up at him, "We are afraid. We're afraid that we'll waste time on you and our pack will suffer. We're afraid that those creatures will rip our reason for survival to pieces. We're scared for them. You will never understand that cause it's more of a human thing."

Riddick crouches low, meeting her eyes, "Never called myself part of the human race."

River nods, "We know. You're more beast than man. We're balanced. We can handle balance." It hangs in the air that she thinks he can't handle balance. "We will not beg you to come with us."

Riddick watches her as she speaks, beast rumbling louder and louder in his mind.

"Give us more lights and we'll go alone while you sit here with the skiff. All we ask of you is to wait. No facing your fear, just sitting with your tail between your legs."

Riddick narrows his eyes behind the goggles and shrugs, "More light?" Picking up his broken hand light he tosses it at her feet. "There ya go."

River glances down at it, looking over the broken bulbs before kicking out and sending it into the dark.

"Riddick, please." Riddick tilts his head and watches her face, seeing the rain swallow the tears, "We do not ask you to come with us. Just wait. Please."

Riddick smirks confidently, "I have a better idea. I'll ask you to come with me."

River stays silent, staring at him as he waits.

* * *

Jack swallows hard and whispers, "Riv said we'd be a family and I'd be safe with all of you."

Zoe looks at her, "We will be. She'll be back."

When she says it she almost believes it.

* * *

"Come with me wa hua. I have no qualms leaving you here. Step inside."

River stares at him and closes her eyes, "We know you Riddick. I know you."

Riddick stands as she speaks. He watches her intently, "You don't know everything River. Come with me, I'm sure there's plenty you could learn about me."

River shakes slightly as she tries to control the quaking of the earth beneath her feet. She feels too much. Creatures. Her pack. Pain.

"I'll make it easy, take my hand." Riddick reaches out and leans forward toward her, "Come on, come on. River, no one will blame you. Saving yourself is the only way to live."

River snaps her eyes open and glares at Riddick, instantly feeling the new release of adrenaline.

"We are not leaving anyone."

Riddick tilts his head and shrugs, "Then you're staying back?" In his head Riddick hears his beast snap at the cage.

"Riddick…all we ask…only that you hang back. Wait for us and we'll get them."

Riddick squares his shoulders and steps forward, "Why?"

River glares at him, "We are asking you. That's why! That is the only reason we can give you."

Riddick turns away from her and reaches for the door switch.

River glares at his back, "What do you want us to say Riddick?"

Riddick pauses, "Wa hua, I don't want to hear you say anything. I want you to get on the skiff."

River shakes in anger and sighs, "Is there any other way?"

Riddick grits his teeth, near choking the beast with the chains as the man in him keeps his mind on the task of leaving, "No."

"Fine." River barely whispers the words as she steps forward. Riddick turns and smiles darkly, stepping toward her and watching her take a step toward him. She wobbles and shivers and he reaches out a hand.

"I've got you wa hua."

River falls to her knees, grasping for his hand. Riddick grabs her hand and pulls her up as gently as possible. "Game over."

River sniffs and opens her eyes to look up at him. She sets her jaw and whispers, "New game."

River slams into his mind, creating so many doors it's like the wall never existed. Riddick sees images of Kaylee laughing with a dark haired man, crying on the floor next to an engine. He sees Zoe training a gun at a group of Reavers, leaning on a brown haired man as he levers her weight onto his, sliding her guns away and smiling. A picture of a ship enters his mind as people appear in front of it. Zoe and the brown haired man. Kaylee and the dark haired man. A gun toting man with a cigar. Jack. Jack laughing as she hangs on River. River stands at the front of the image, hand held in his as he appears with the group.

Quicker more images come. Shazza and Imam and Jack huddled in the cave as Zoe and Kaylee keep things light. The creatures ripping the rock away to find Zoe kneeling beside four bodies.

"Ai ya!" Riddick roars and jumps back, dropping River.

His mind flashes with image after image and his beast springs from the chains as the whispers speak louder and louder and the man in him becomes no more than a vessel.

"Furyan Riddick. Your man isn't supposed to control your beast. Balance is key."

Riddick drops to his knees as River floats into his mind, River holding tight to Jack as he stands over them with a shiv.

Riddick roars and jumps to his feet, rushing toward River as she stands by the door.

River feels his anger and braces her body. He slams his body into her and they tumble from the ship.

Riddick breathes hard as he repeatedly slams door after door and wraps chain after chain around his hellhound beast.

River lays passively under him, feeling his weight crush her into the mud as the rain drags her hair from her face. She stares up at him and feels the tip of his shiv at her neck, "Get out of my head."

Rive swallows and whispers, "You can't be the monster forever Riddick."

Riddick looks over her face as she lays under him. His beast quiets as his whispers cease and all the man can do is watch her.

"You have this power over us Riddick. We don't like anyone having power over us. Everyone who gets power over us uses it. They make us hurt. They do things. But you aren't the same as them. They all wanted control over us and all we had over them was ourselves. But we have you. We have power over you as you have power over us. Neither of us wins the game but together we don't exactly lose either."

Riddick feels the hellhound absorbing the explanation, feels everything click into place.

"You'd die for them?" Riddick rumbles the words as she watches him.

"We would do anything for them. Try anything. We would die for them Riddick."

Riddick nods and watches her face, sees the images still from her mind. "How interesting."

River swallows and reaches up with a shaking hand, sliding his goggles off and leaning as far as his shiv will allow, "We would not die for you." She pauses and smiles, "We would live for you. And we would ask only that you live for us as well."

Riddick crashes his lips against River's in a possessive, hungry kiss. They both moan at the contact, pushing against the other to get closer.

Riddick finally pulls back, murmuring, "Then I guess we both win wa hua."

"Baby flower…springing from shadows and dancing in the breeze."

Riddick rolls off of her and slides his shiv away, watching her climb shakily to her feet.

"We go back with light. Will you make it?"

River smiles, "We have every reason to make it. Don't doubt us." River squeezes her hands into fists, hoping for the adrenaline to keep coursing through her veins as she fights for her pack to live, for her chance to live.

* * *

Zoe watches the flare sputter out and hears the clicking resume outside. She listens to the wings land too close and huffs a breath. She hears the rock rattle, sees it shake.

"Move back." Zoe whispers, looking over the group before her and tensing her body to do what she knew she had to. She takes a deep breath but hesitates.

Silence falls on the other side of the makeshift door and it stills then rattles again. Zoe clenches her jaw and reaches for Jack.

The rock falls away and River peeks her head in. She meets Zoe's eyes and Zoe smiles in relief as she drops her hands in relief.

"Tell us you were not doubting our plan?"

Jack springs to her feet and jumps to River, throwing her arms around her. "Never had a doubt!" Jack smiles and looks over River's shoulder at Riddick.

Kaylee scrambles to her feet, reaching past River and pulling Riddick into a hug as he stood still in shock.

"Ain't this just shiny! I'm so glad ya two are here!" Riddick looks over at River as she smirks to him.

"How do we make it?" Zoe's question stops the celebrating as Shazza lays a hand on her forearm.

"Run like hell." River whispers.

"Anyone not ready for this?" Riddick looks over the group and smirks.

Imam smiles and points a finger at him, "There is my God Mister Riddick."

River giggles and murmurs, "Not so much God as faith holy man."

Imam smiles at the look she gives to the man and he knows if he were to lift his goggles her would read the same look in his eyes.

* * *

Riddick leads the group as they walk out of the cave. Riddick pauses and lifts his goggles, looking at the six raptors fighting in their way. Behind him River grabs his hand and he squeezes as watches the fight, waiting.

River locks hands with Riddick and Jack behind her. The whole group locks hands in single file.

Riddick sees the creatures back up to leave a path just wide enough for one body to slip through.

He runs, tugging the others with him. They crash through, hearing the creatures shriek and fly away in surprise, only to circle back at the meal and fall away at the light.

Riddick climbs the hill, leaning over to pull the others up. River pushes Kaylee up and Jack, helping Shazza and Zoe as she senses the raptors landing behind her. She scrambles backwards, crawling up the mud hill and slipping.

Riddick grabs hold of River's arm as she slips, hauling her over the hill.

"Come on, move!" Riddick hollers.

River heaves a breath and screams, "You know the way, get to the skiff!"

Ahead of them Zoe runs with Shazza as Kaylee and Jack run with Imam.

Shazza slips and hits the mud, slowing the whole groups as Imam pulls her up.

"Run!" Riddick yells, sending Kaylee and Jack back into motion as Zoe stops to help Imam and Shazza.

* * *

River quakes as she runs, hand locked in Riddick's.

Riddick looks back toward River as she slips again. He turns back forward and stops short, watching the back of a creature as it lands in front of them.

* * *

Kaylee feels tears fall from her cheeks at the feel of metal under her feet. Jack collapses to the floor as she smiles.

They look back to see Zoe and Imam running with Shazza, eyes looking farther back only to find no River and Riddick.

* * *

Zoe stops running as she feels air hit her body. She feels the flap of wings. She hears the clicking. Closing her eyes to wait for the death hit she jumps when a scream meets her ears, "No!"

Zoe opens her eyes to see Imam in front of her, a claw through his chest as he reaches out his hand to her. He swallows blood and smiles, "Here is my God. Take these." He drops the beads as his body flies into the dark and Shazza grabs Zoe's arm, scooping up the beads and running.

"Get on!" Jack yells as she watches Zoe stop on the ramp.

Zoe takes the beads and clenches them in her fist. She sobs a breath and feels arms wrap around her.

Kaylee wraps her arms around Zoe as she looks out into the black for River and Riddick.

"Where are they?"

Shazza looks over at Jack and whispers, "I don't know."

The four stand on the ramp, looking out into the black in the safety of the light.

* * *

Riddick pulls River flush against his back as he ducks forward and stands in the face of the creature.

'_Blind spot. Move with me.'_

River follows Riddick's movements as he follows the creatures. The creatures moves back and turns quickly away and Riddick sighs, turning to look at River.

River freezes at the sound of claws behind her.

Riddick watches the raptor land in front of him and hears the steps come back toward him from behind.

River and Riddick look into each others eyes as River shakes lightly in his arms and the creatures flap their wings, screeching and fighting over who gets the meal.

* * *

Everyone waits on the ramp for Riddick and River.

They stare unwaveringly at the black.

Twin roars fill the air. One distinctly River, the other distinctly Riddick.

Jack lunges forward, eyes wide as she instinctively runs toward them.

"No!" Kaylee grabs Jack's shirt, Zoe and Shazza helping pull the girl back to them.

"We have to help them!" Jack sobs.

"They aren't coming Jack." Kaylee whispers.

* * *

River whirls low and slices the stomach of her creature as Riddick stiff arms his shiv into the throat of his creature.

At the same time they roar, fighting at each other's back.

River cries out at the feel of a claw sinking into her leg in a last attempt.

Riddick turns from his raptor and drops low, slicing the claw off as it sticks in his girl's leg.

Riddick feels a slice on his back and turns back to his own fight. River digs her shiv into the base of the raptor's neck, it flings its head up and sends her flying to the side.

Riddick drops his raptor as he hears the one behind him fall away. He watches River land in a crumpled heap against shiny metal cans that clang with her force.

He strides to her, kneeling beside her as she lolls her head around to look dazedly up at him.

"River," he reaches out a hand and slides his arms under her. "get up. Up, come on wa hua!"

River moans and lets him set her on her feet only to have her leg give way. "Come on River, hold on to me wa hua." Riddick wraps his arm around her waist as she breaths fast and tries to regain herself. "You said you'd die for them. You're supposed to live for me. Come on wa hua."

River grits her teeth and blinks hard, gripping Riddick's bicep and leaning on him, "You should leave us. We are a useless target. Get to the skiff and take off."

Riddick chuckles, "I won't leave you."

River smirks and pulls her legs underneath herself, "We won't let you die for us."

"Then move your ass wa hua 'cause that's the only way I'm going."

River swallows and takes a step, moving forward. She feels the pain and moves past it as Riddick holds his shiv and holds her hand.

* * *

Zoe steels herself as she watches the black. She turns to the others behind her and shakes her head.

She clenches her jaw and reaches for the switch when a pair of shiny orbs catches her attention. She stares as another pair of orbs becomes clear closer up.

"Ta ma de!" Zoe cries and smiles as River and Riddick stumble into the light.

Looking closer Zoe notices Riddick supporting River and she steps forward to help.

"Well it's good to see you two are okay." Zoe murmurs and River smiles.

"Do we want to know?" Shazza asks quietly as she looks at the claw in River's leg.

"Stopped to dance." River whispers as Riddick and Zoe set her on the floor, Kaylee closes the ramp and kneels by River.

"Fly the fallen stars to the black hellhound?" River asks and Riddick smirks, moving toward the pilot seat. He powers up the engines and flips the switches, reaching out to plot a course when he wavers. Smirking he powers down.

"Riddick?" Jack asks, eyes wide.

"What are you doing?" Zoe demands, stepping away from River.

"Can we just get the hell out of here now?" Shazza hisses, listening to the sound of claws hitting the skiff.

"Riddick, please!" Kaylee murmurs, eyeing River as she blinks slowly.

"We can't leave." He stops and looks at the creatures landing on the windshield of the skiff. "Without sayin' goodnight."

Riddick powers up, creatures shrieking as the light burns them. He directs the skiff through the black, slight turbulence as raptor bodies thud and fall.

"Zeng bie." River whispers.

* * *

Riddick plots the course and sets auto as he turns and heads toward River.

As he walks Jack eyes him from her place beside Kaylee, "Lot of questions whoever we run in to. Could even be a merc ship. So what the hell do we tell them about you?"

Riddick smirks as he drops by River, ignoring Zoe and Shazza beside him.

"Tell 'em Riddick's dead. He died somewhere on that planet."

River smiles weakly and whispers, "But he can live again."

"Only if you can keep up in the games wa hua."

River giggles, "We'll give you a run for all your worth."

The skiff floats through the sky, fallen stars replaced in the black.


	28. Author's Note And Other Closure

**So...this is an end note. **

**I am indeed ending this part of the story there. **

**The sequel will be up under the title Floating and it will pick up right from where I left off.**

**Purposefully leaving loose threads so the sequel can flow along and mesh well with this. **

**Again, thanks to everyone for reviewing, adding me as a favorite, adding me as an alert, adding my story as a favorite, adding my story as an alert, reading...just thank you for everything!**

**Feel like there was more...**

**...Don't remember what...**

**...**

**...thinking...**

**It's gone. Moving on: I'll work up to Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury and if anyone wants a link to watch the movie online-haven't seen it, want to see it and can't find it under the couch-so just request the link (don't want to spam by adding the link in) and I'll send it. Also, if anyone is thinking of doing a Pitch Black fiction or a Serenity fiction I have links to the scripts for the movies. I highly encourage everyone who took an interest in this story to try their hands at writing a story for Serenity, Pitch Black, or a crossover! **

**I'll shut up now and I'll leave you with this teaser for Floating:**

'_If I hurt you, scream.'_

River barks a laugh and opens her eyes, staring shining eyes at him.

'_Won't scream. Won't make a sound. Continue.'_

Riddick smiles and nods, turning to glance at Kaylee. "Put the wrench down and come here."

'_Where'd she get a wrench?'_

'_Toolbox built into the wall.'_

**Hope everyone's minds are whirring in anticipation!**_  
_


	29. Update

**Hey everyone, I just wanted to update on this to let everyone who added this story as an alert that...**

**_THE FIRST CHAPTER TO THE SEQUEL IS NOW UP!_**

**So go on and click your way over to something that should earn a few smiles. **

**Thanks and enjoy!  
**


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